Jack and Rose: A Love Never Forgotten
by DawsonGurl
Summary: The sinking of a great ocean liner separates them but when they find each other will their love last? Will it be remembered or forgotten? R&R!
1. A Deep Ocean of Secrets

**Disclaimer**: I own NOTHING _Titanic_ related. All the fictional characters from the film BELONG to James Cameron and everything else associated with the film. James Cameron is a pure genious for having created such a fantastic film. Anyway, enjoy the chapter! :-)

* * *

**Chapter One**

_A Deep Ocean of Secrets_

April, 15, 1912

The glimmering stars had been the only distraction Rose had as she laid on a piece of driftwood, clutching onto her love's hand. Her heartbeat began to weaken against the bitter cold but she remained strong, for Jack's sake. _Jack_. Just the mere thought of him caused for her heart to flutter helplessly. Though she barely knew him, she knew she was madly in love with him. No one had ever dared to show her how much they cared, like Jack did. He made her feel complete, unlike her ex-fiancé, who did nothing but make her feel like a trophy wife.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought of all that happened just hours ago. She took in a deep breath and attempted to suppress the horrid images that plagued her mind, if only for a while. She knew that the tragic events would continuously haunt her throughout the duration of her life, but she just wanted a brief moment to herself; just one moment to forget where she was and drift off into a world where she felt peace and warmth. Her eyes gazed up at the velvet night sky as she softly began to sing the song that brought joy to her soul.

"_Come Josephine, in my flying machine_," her voice was barely above a whisper and despite this, she continued. "_And it's up she goes, up she goes._" She appeared feeble, yet her grip on Jack's hand remained strong. She began to feel doubtful that a boat would come back for the survivors but even so, she was determined to survive. "_Come Josephine in my flying _—"

Suddenly, from a distance, she heard an echoing voice. For a brief moment, she thought it had been her imagination but soon after, she heard the voice loud and clear.

"Is there anyone alive out there?" a man shouted. "Can anyone hear me?"

She felt a beaming light shine on the side of her face, coaxing her to turn her head to the right where she noticed a silhouette of a lifeboat. A weak smile came upon her face as she softly rubbed her hand against Jack's forearm.

"Jack," she called out in a whisper as she turned to face him. "Jack," her smile grew slightly wider while she gently shook his handcuffed wrist.

She noticed that there were tiny crusts of ice formed from underneath his eyes and nose. His lips were a light shade of blue and his face appeared calm and peaceful — as if he were asleep. She thought nothing of it.

"Jack," she softly whispered again, shaking his arm a bit harder. "There's a boat!"

The sound of happiness had been hinted in her voice as she realized that he had been right the entire time; a boat did come back for them after all.

"Jack," Rose whispered a bit louder, the curve of her smile fading away upon noticing that he had not responded to either one of her calls. Her heart began to sink while a lump began to form at the end of her throat. "Jack?"

She gripped onto his arm and shook him as hard as she possibly could while she watched his head sway from side to side in doing so. Despite her efforts, he remained unresponsive. She stopped for a brief moment and stared down at his face, suddenly coming to the realization that he was dead. Her lower lip trembled as a rush of tears began to flood around the corner of her eyes.

_He can't leave me now, not after all that we've been through_, her thoughts continued to cloud her mind as a single tear slipped down her pale cheek.

She refused to believe that he was gone. It just couldn't be possible; he said he was a survivor. He had to live through this. She promised him she would, so why shouldn't he? She then let out a trembling breath and shook his arm before yelling out as loud as her lungs would allow her, which barely came up to a whisper.

"Jack!" her voice cracked against the chilled air as she shivered from both heartache and the bitter cold. "Jack!" She moved her hand up his arm and attempted to wake him one last time before she gripped onto his wrist, feeling her heart break in two. "There's a boat, Jack." Her voice trembled through her tears for she knew that he would not be waking up. "Jack?"

Rose looked up and found that the lifeboat had gone further away from where she was. The man's shouts were merely an echo in the distance and just at that point, she began to lose all hope. She felt another tear slip down her cheek as she looked down at Jack's peaceful face, knowing that she would never again gaze into those beautiful blue eyes of his. She rested her head against their clutched hands and closed her eyes, wanting so desperately to just die with him; she could hardly bear the thought of living her life without him. However, at the back of her mind she heard his trembling voice from when he made her promise to not give up for anything.

_You must promise me that you'll survive . . . no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless . . . promise me now, Rose, and never let go of that promise . . . never let go._

Rose's eyes suddenly burst open and her breathing grew heavier. She knew she could not break her promise; he died for her and so she would live for him. She owed him that much after all that he has done for her.

"Come back!" her voice was hoarse and was growing weaker due to the cold atmosphere. "Come back!" she lifted her head and found that the lifeboat was rowing further away, becoming smaller and smaller to Rose's eyes. "Come back! Come back! Come back! Come back! Come back!"

"Hello!" the officer yelled as he waved his flashlight over the perished passengers that floated in the sea. "Can anyone hear me?"

"Come back! Come back!" Rose's voice became sore as she attempted to shout louder, but she knew her voice was not strong enough to be heard. She looked over to her left and found a frozen officer floating on a lounge chair with a metal whistle hanging from his lips.

She felt tears well up in her eyes when she turned to face the only man she ever loved. Her heart began to sink with dread when she wrapped her fingers around his handcuffed wrist and yanked his frozen hand from hers. Her heart pounded heavily against her chest as she watched his head sink into the water's surface.

_I will never forget you_, she clutched onto his hand and dreaded the moment she would have to let go.

"I'll never let go," she said as tears fell from her eyes. "I promise."

She placed a tender kiss onto his hand and watched him disappear into the depths of the North Atlantic. She trembled through her heartbreaking sobs before she finally turned to face the officer on the lounge chair, preparing herself for what she would have to do. She mustered up all the strength she had left in her and rolled off the board while letting out a sharp gasp upon being reunited with the freezing water. She could scarcely breathe through the cold atmosphere as she swam awkwardly toward the dead officer who clung onto a floating lounge chair. She leaned against the debris and lifted her trembling hands toward his mouth, briskly removing the whistle as she slipped it in-between her lips and blew into it as fiercely as her lungs would allow her.

Her eyes never left the boat while she continued to blow into the whistle. She was becoming more and more tired but she simply refused to close her eyes; not now. Not until they came for her. Relief struck her when she felt the beaming light shine on her face.

"Come about!" he yelled and shortly after, the boat began to turn and head over to her.

Despite this, Rose did not stop blowing the whistle. She was shivering violently now and was losing all the strength her body had prior to this moment. She did not even realize that the officer in the boat had removed the whistle from her lips.

"Oh, Bloody Hell," Fifth Officer Harold Godfrey Lowe muttered as he watched the frail woman tremble from beneath the surface of the freezing waters. "Well, don't just stand there fools! Help me pull her in for Christ's sake!"

Rose felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her and for a moment, she thought it had been Jack.

"Jack?" she muttered weakly, her voice barely audible as the men in the boat pulled her in and wrapped multiple blankets around her.

She shivered from underneath the blankets and stared blankly into the officer's eyes. A single tear slipped down the side of her face while she looked up at the diamond sky, feeling her heart quiver from the emptiness that now surrounded her. At that point, everything had gone black and she soon drifted off into a deep slumber.

* * *

Three hours have gone by since Rose was rescued from the freezing waters. Despite the warmth of the blankets, she slightly shivered against the cool breeze that brushed against them as their lifeboat continued along its journey to the rescue ship. She heard the officer shout off into the distance while he waved a bright green flare over his head, attempting to grasp the attention of the crew onboard the _Carpathia_.

She felt a pang of sorrow surround her aching heart while she looked up at the sky, noticing that the stars were beginning to fade upon the rising of the sun. Exhaustion swept through her body but she had no will to sleep; not with all the horrid images of Jack slipping into the dark abyss plaguing her mind. Her heart sank with dread upon knowing that she will never see the love of her life again.

Despite her efforts not to close her eyes, Rose fell into another deep slumber and awoke merely two hours later. The sun was shining brightly above them as the lifeboats gathered together and headed toward the rescue ship. Much to everyone's surprise, icebergs of all shapes and sizes have surrounded them. Rose felt anger build up within her soul as she thought of how ignorant they were. Just because a ship was crowned 'unsinkable' gave them no right to ignore the iceberg warnings. If they had just listened to one, none of this would have happened. They would all still be aboard the _Titanic_ and Jack would still be with her. She wanted to scream at them for being so stupid but she knew nothing would bring him back to her; he was forever gone and she was left alone to spend the rest of her life without him.

Once they have reached the side of the rescue ship, Officer Lowe began helping the first five survivors climb up the rope ladder that hung from the ship's entrance. Shortly afterwards, Rose felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist as she was lifted into a standing position. She leaned against the kind officer who led her toward the rope ladder, making sure that she was strong enough to climb on board. Rose felt her knees buckle against her weight but Officer Lowe kept a firm hold on her so that she would not fall as he helped her reach the entrance of the ship safely.

The _Carpathian_ crew helped Rose climb on board the ship and watched as she stumbled against the nurse, barely having enough strength to stand on her own two feet. Officer Lowe placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and pulled her close to him to keep her steady while he began to lead her toward the infirmary. An extra set of blankets were wrapped around her to condense her shivering as a hot cup of tea was handed to her. She ignored the offer and continued to stare off into the distance, not really wanting to communicate with anyone. She still has not yet adjusted to her loss and she knew that she never would. Jack meant everything to her and now he was gone.

Officer Lowe took the cup and nodded off to the steward as he reached over and placed it into her hands. Rose felt tears well up in her eyes but she fought them back. She could not cry now; she had to remain strong. She clutched onto the hot cup which warmed her hands while the officer who saved her continued to lead her to the infirmary. A crowd of people were gathered around them and she refused to look into their eyes for she did not want to receive any pity from them. She has gone through so much within the past twenty-four hours; she did not know how much more she can take. She just wanted to be left in peace to her grieving and let the world around her disappear. She wanted to forget everything, but all she truly wanted was for him to come back to her. She would give anything to look into his eyes one last time. _Anything_.

She was now standing in front of a white door which had a red cross marked on it. One of the stewards that stood by opened the door and Officer Lowe instantly led Rose inside and sat her down on a vacant bed. The nurse who followed them took the cup Rose clutched onto and brought it to her dry lips, urging for her to take a sip. Rose swallowed the hot and bitter liquid but refused to drink anymore; she just wanted to be left alone. The nurse let out a sigh and she placed the cup on the small table that stood beside the single bed before she helped the frail woman lie down.

Officer Lowe had to blink back the tears that were welling up in his eyes while he noticed how delicate and beautiful the woman before him truly was. A lump formed at the end of his throat when he thought of how many innocent souls have perished within the cold depths of the ocean. He placed more blankets over the woman's body and made sure that she was warm and comfortable before he finally thought it was time for him to leave.

"She looks so fragile," he muttered as he softly shook his head.

"I am positively sure she will be all right, sir," the nurse commented. "All she just needs is some rest and nourishment."

"See to it that she gets the best of care," Officer Lowe said.

"I will make sure of that, sir," the nurse promised.

"Thank you," he said as he stared down at the woman one last time before making a turn to leave.

The nurse just watched as he left before returning her attention back to the redheaded woman who lay in bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling.

"You should get some rest, Miss," the nurse told her. "I will be back to check on you later." She quickly made sure that the blankets were firmly in place before she headed to care for another patient that has been brought in.

Rose remained oblivious to all that was around her. All she could think of was Jack and how desperately she wanted to be with him. She could never love another man as she loved Jack. Her heart belonged to him and he took it with her when he died. She would never be the same without him. She lost the one thing she wanted the most in her life and she knew she would never get him back.

Jack Dawson was her only savior and now he was gone.

* * *

Jack felt as if he were falling while the cold was ready to take the last ounce of life he had left. Everything seemed so calm and quiet that he did not mind the thought of knowing his time would soon come to an end. However, a voice at the back of his head kept telling him not to give up just yet; he had something to live for this time. He could not let this chance slip by when he knew it had taken him everything to free the woman he now loves. He must not end his life like this. He has to live and he was determined to.

He ignored the stinging pain from when he opened his eyes as he mustered up whatever strength he had and began to kick as hard and as fast as his body would dare allow him to until he finally reached the surface. He instantly spat out the salt water that managed to slip into his mouth and sucked in as much air to fill his lungs while he desperately clung onto the driftwood he placed Rose on earlier. He was shivering violently and struggled to keep his breathing down to normal level when he looked up, expecting to find his love lying there but was surprised to find her missing.

"R-Rose?" he breathed as he looked around his surroundings, discovering a tremendous amount of perished souls floating on the ocean's surface. "Rose!" He attempted to shout but his voice was barely above a whisper. "Rose! Where . . . where a-are you?"

His heart shuddered in fear as he proceeded to look around him and knew that if he did not get out of the water soon, his chance of surviving would be entirely slim. He gripped onto the end of the driftwood and tried pulling himself on board but failed when the board tipped over. He coughed upon having accidentally swallowed a bit of the salt water but he remained determined to get on and so he tried once more. This time he put his feet on first and rolled onto it which proved to have been successful. He hugged himself from the bitter cold and shivered vigorously while thoughts began to flood through his mind.

He was confused. _Where could she possibly be?_ He knew that she had a better chance of survival than he had considering that she was mostly out of the water, then what could have possibly happened to her? He pushed the thought aside for the time being while he fought the urge to close his eyes; last time he did that he went unconscious and he knew if he dared to close his eyes again, he would not be coming back. He had to stay strong and survive through this night; for her.

He felt a single tear slip down his cheek when he thought of Rose and what could have happened to her. His heart could barely tolerate the torture of not knowing whether or not she was alive. He wanted to be reassured that she survived and did not perish among the many others that were floating in the sea. She did not deserve that kind of fate. If anyone deserved it, it was him. He would go through an eternity of suffering if it meant that his Rose would be happy and well. She had been through so much throughout her past and he knew that. He knew how much she longed to have her freedom and so he most willingly gave it to her. The thought relaxed him, even though a separate thought continued to pester him; _i__s she or is she not alive_

In the midst of his thoughts, he was beginning to feel his eyelids grow heavy. Despite this, he simply refused to shut them. He could not and would not give way to death. He was very much determined to live and hoped — no, more so _prayed_ — that help would arrive soon. The only way he would recover was to get out of the cold atmosphere. He was never a patient man when it came to waiting and this was one of the times that nagged at his heart.

Not wanting to think about it, he turned to lie on his back and gazed up at the endless night sky where he began to admire the millions of beautiful stars that were twinkling high above him. He found a sense of distraction from the bitter cold as he started to count them even though he knew it would be completely impossible to keep up. He just did not want to think of the pain he felt from the cold because he knew he would never get by if he did. Instead, he placed all of his concentration onto the sky until he noticed them beginning to fade away upon the rising of the sun. He faced the horizon where he saw a red-orange glow illuminate the heavens while the tip of the bright yellow sun was exposing itself to the world. He began to notice several large icebergs emerging from the water's surface. Who knew how many icebergs they have missed before they collided with one?

Anger began to flood through his soul when he thought of how many iceberg warnings have been left ignored. They had too much pride in the ship that it cost thousands of people their lives. _How could they have been so stupid_? Just as he was getting engrossed into his thoughts, he heard a splashing noise several yards away. His heart skipped a beat when he found an overturned boat slowly making its way toward safety. He noticed an officer standing on board both edges of the boat, keeping it as steady as he possibly could while the other men on board just clung onto one another so as not to fall into the water. Jack had to blink twice to believe that there actually was a boat there. Upon realizing that it was not a figment of his imagination, he pulled himself up with much difficulty and held his arm up wanting to grab their attention. He became disappointed when he noticed that his arm barely came up half way. He was quickly losing his strength and pretty soon he would lose his life if they did not come for him.

"Help!" he attempted to shout but it only came out to be a gasp of fear. Since he knew shouting would not help, he began smacking his hand against the water making as much noise as he could until one of the men on board noticed him. "Please . . . h-help me . . ."

"Quickly, paddle over to him!" the officer commanded. "C'mon!"

Jack was relieved upon noticing that they were making their way toward him. _Thank God_. He watched as they came closer and closer until they were finally within reach of him. The officer on board extended his hand out to him, while the other men kept hold of the officer so that he would not fall.

"Give me your hand," he said. "I'll help you over."

He tried giving his hand to the officer but failed when he nearly fell off the driftwood. He gasped and clutched onto the board for dear life as he looked over at the officer with fear and exhaustion shining through his eyes. His shivering has not ceased since he got out of the water and his breathing remained shallow and heavy at the same time. He limped against the debris, no longer having the strength to sit up as he felt his eyelids begin to grow heavy. Despite this, he continued to fight the urge to sleep and noticed that officer remained determined to help him.

"C'mon, lads!" he ordered as he kept his arm extended toward Jack. "Push a bit further so I could reach him."

Jack watched as the men did the best they could to paddle further and was proven successful when the overturned boat began to come closer. The officer then reached over and took hold of Jack before pulling him onto the boat, making sure that he was steady before he instructed the men to continue along their way to the rescue ship. It was difficult, considering that they had no oars and the fact that the lifeboat they were on was not in its proper position but they managed.

Jack shivered as he leaned against the man before him for he no longer had the strength to sit up. The man did not seem to mind which relieved Jack gratefully. The few men that were helping to steer the boat began to paddle away from the dead bodies and toward the open water where in the distance, a ship with a single funnel came into view. It had taken them a half hour to reach the rescue ship and when they did, the men on the overturned boat began climbing the rope ladder that hung from the entrance of the ship. Jack did not have the strength to climb which caused for him to be pulled up on a stretcher. Just having been on a lying position led for his exhaustion to become even deeper and by the time they have pulled him to the entrance of the ship, he had already been asleep.

The few nurses that stood by instantly rushed to Jack's side and began covering him in multiple blankets to keep him warm. Despite this, he proceeded to shiver violently even in the midst of his deep slumber. The officers on board helped bring him over to the infirmary where they placed him on a vacant bed nearby and covered him in even more blankets to help subdue his immense shivering. Not wasting any time, one of the nurses went to fetch the doctor who began examining him once he got there.

"This is not good," he muttered as he shook his head. "I suggest you keep a watchful eye on him and be sure to contact me the second he awakes."

"Yes sir," one of the nurses said before curtsying in respect of the doctor.

The doctor briefly nodded and turned to care for another patient that lay beside the one he just examined. He gently placed his hand over her forehead and found that she had regained her normal body temperature. He just stood and watched her sleep for a moment or two. There was something about her that caused for his heart to tighten with sympathy. Her face was pale and though she was asleep, he could tell that she was suffering from a broken heart. He shook his head softly before he went on to care for the other _Titanic_ survivors that have been brought in.

* * *

Rose awoke the next day feeling refreshed but at the same time heartbroken and alone. She softly began rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and pulled herself into a sitting position as she pushed down the many blankets that have been wrapped over her. She looked around her surroundings and noticed that every bed that had been empty was now occupied, including the one beside her. There was a man lying on his back with his face turned away from her as he slept with a pile of blankets covering his shivering body. From what she could see, he had shaggy blonde hair. His left hand was hanging loosely over the edge of the bed and Rose could automatically feel tears rushing to her eyes. Just seeing another man with blonde hair led for her to be reminded of Jack. Whenever she closed her eyes, she saw him. His angelic smile would warm up her heart while his piercing blue eyes would just continuously stare into hers. It was not until she awoke that she realized that it was only a dream. She turned away from the unknown man beside her and fought back the tears that were threatening to break free while her heart continued to ache from her loss.

She did not know how much more she could take of the torture. She had to leave. She quickly removed the multiple blankets that were over her and kept one wrapped around her before she slid off the bed and headed over to the exit of the infirmary. Once she was out into open air, she noticed the majority of the survivors sitting out on deck. Some of them sat on the hardwood floor while there were others that sat upon the lounge chairs that were available. The rest just stood and stared off into distance, not really paying attention to anything that was happening around them. She heard several women around her mourning over the loss of their loved ones and she knew then that she was not the only one who has been left with a broken heart.

She pulled her gaze away from those around her and noticed a single unoccupied lounge chair placed beside the railing of the ship. She paused for a few moments to see if anyone else would take the seat and when no one had, she slowly began making her way toward it until she finally sat down and stared off into the blue sea, lost in thought.

No matter how hard she tried, she could not stop thinking of him. Those piercing blue eyes and his angelic smile were all that would occupy her thoughts as she sat there feeling incredibly alone. Her vision was blurred by her tears but she refused to cry. Not here, not now; she had to remain strong.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted upon a slight commotion over to the third class entrance. "Oh, sir, I don't think you'll find any of your people down here," a steward said. "It's all steerage."

Rose turned her head slightly and felt her heart sink with dread when she found Cal standing a few feet away from her. He slowly began walking past every survivor and examined their faces as if he were looking for someone in particular. Rose had no doubt in her mind that he was looking for her. However, she knew she could not let that happen. She simply refused to go back to the life where she lived in full misery. Though she had everything she possibly could want by living a first class life, she knew she could never have the one thing she wanted most: _freedom_. Jack gave her that freedom and she was not going to let Cal take it away from her. For the first time in her life, she was finally able to do what _she_ wanted to do and not have to meet up with other's expectations. She was sick of living her life the way her mother wanted her to and it was about time that she began to live her own life her way.

Without a second thought, Rose pulled up the blanket she wrapped around herself and covered her vibrant red curls, knowing that it would make her highly recognizable to her ex-fiancé. She kept a firm hold on the warm fabric so that the wind would not blow it off and carefully turned to find him standing close by with his back turned to her. He seemed helpless and worried but this did not concern Rose for she knew his attitude toward things. Ever since she forcefully accepted his engagement a year ago, he had treated her as if she were more so a possession rather than a fiancé. She no longer wished to be treated as such so she knew that she had to avoid this man for as long as she lived. Her misery was done with, aside from the fact that she was now left with a broken heart. She did not regret her decision and she knew she never would. She was leaving her past life, just as she had intended to when she told Jack that she would get off the _Titanic_ with him. She meant every word and she was not about to let a man from her past life ruin her only chance of freedom.

She turned her head away and kept her attention focused on the open sea. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief upon having heard his footsteps fade away. She slowly turned her head toward the direction he was heading and watched him step out of her life forever. She just narrowly escaped her old life and hoped to God that he would never return again. She could not bear to face him; not after all that he has done to her. Now that she has gained her freedom, she was going to make the most of her life and fulfill her promise. Though the thought of her having to marry and bear the children of another man did not sound appealing to her at the moment. The only man she could ever want to carry the children of was Jack's but he was gone and she could not help but feel as if it were her fault. After all, it was he who had been in the water far longer than she had and it was he who had risked his life for her to live. She had been selfish to think that Jack would always be with her and now he lay at the bottom of the ocean, completely lifeless.

She lowered her head and put all her focus upon her trembling fingers while her heart tightened with remorse. _It's__ my fault. I killed the only man I ever loved_. She closed her eyes and held back the tears as best she could while she began to relive a memory.

_Their laughter had not ceased since the moment they first escaped from the cargo hold several moments__ ago. Jack and Rose__ were snuggled up into each other's a__rms after having made love __when suddenly,__ two stewards came in looking for them. __Neither one of them wasted any time as they both grabbed their clothes and hid behind a large mass of cargo hold nearby.__ They waited around a moment longer after they dressed and watched as one of the stewards opened the back door of the Renault, expecting to find them there but appeared dumbfounded when he came across an empty seat.__ The two could barely suppress their amusement as they saw the two stewards stare at each other in pure confusion._

_Jack grabbed her hand and quickly led her out of the boiler room and toward a stairwell which would lead them to another part of the ship they were unaware of. Once they were out of earshot, the two erupted into laughter and began to run up the flights of stairs until they finally came across a door. Neither one of them knew where this door would lead them, but all the same, neither one of them cared. Jack then reached over and pushed it open where a sudden brush of cool wind crashed against them. Rose stepped out first and nearly stumbled onto the deck from her intense laughter as Jack attempted to slam the door shut behind them. The effort failed to have been successful for it had ricocheted open and caused for them to laugh even harder.__ No longer caring for the door or anything around them, __Jack __reached over and __took Rose__'s hand as he swung her around him briefly before he finally held her close, all the while laughing with her._

_"Did you see those guys' faces?" Jack managed to say through his heavy laughter._

_Rose finally managed to stop laughing and looked into his eyes while she smiled tenderly. She was breathing heavily and could barely control the rapid beating of her heart as she watched his eyes sparkle with happiness while his arm kept a firm hold of her._

_"Did you see the —" __he stopped when Rose placed her smooth fingers over his lips, silencing him as his attention fell upon her._

_She kept her fingers linger over his lips a moment longer before she slipped her hand at the nape of his neck. She felt her hair flutter softly against the cool breeze while the scent of the sea filled their nostrils. She took in a few deep breaths and began to muster up enough courage to speak the words that she longed for him to hear. She had all she wanted to say ready in her mind, but she had some difficulty transporting her thoughts into words. After a few moments, she finally found her voice._

_"When the ship docks," she __began while her gaze appeared to be focused on his luscious lips. A brief moment later, she turned her attention to his eyes and smiled as she thought of the next few words she would utter. She remained confident in her decision and had no regrets. She loved this man with every fiber of her being and did not wish to be separated from him any longer. Her heart belonged to him and had been since the moment she went back and found him at the bow of the ship earlier this afternoon. There was no mistake in what she felt towards this man and nobody — not even Cal or her mother — could ever break the bond that she and Jack now shared. Finally, she spoke the next few words with no regrets. "I'm getting off with you."_

_The realization of her words sunk in and he automatically knew what she meant. He stared into his eyes and grinned as his hands softly caressed the small of her back. "This is crazy!" he replied with raised eyebrows, knowing the sacrifice that she was making for him._

_"I know, it doesn't make any sense," she said with a confident grin. "That's why I trust it."_

_His smile soon faded as his eyes bore into her soul for a brief moment before making a swift journey to her lips and back again. __The happiness and love that shone through his eyes gave Rose the notion that she had indeed made the right decision. A split second later, their lips met in a passionate kiss and all their worries that they had prior to this moment had vanished. Their love had been the only thing that kept them aware and happy. Nothing in this world could possibly come between them . . . or so they thought._

Her throat was becoming dry from her effort to hold back her grief and as she looked around her, she knew she could no longer bear it. She buried her face within her hands and freed her tears while her body shook against her agonizing sobs. She felt her heart shatter into a million pieces when images of his angelic face began to haunt her. Her long for freedom had cost Jack his life and there was nothing she could possibly do that would bring him back. He was forever gone from the life he deserved to live. She had not noticed that she was trembling against her heartbreaking sobs but even so, she would not care. All that she focused on was the fact that her one and only true love had died because of her selfishness. She wanted freedom, so she got it with the cost of his life.

She slipped her trembling fingers through her hair and let out shuddering sobs while her tears continued to break free from her broken soul. She did not realize that a nurse had noticed her until she felt a hand placed upon her shoulder.

"Are you all right, Miss?" the kind nurse asked while she gazed into her eyes.

Rose looked up before wiping away her fallen tears and nodded her head softly, even though she knew that she was far from being 'all right'; she just wanted to be left alone.

"I'm fine," Rose managed to choke out against her heartbreak. "I-I just want to be left alone . . . please." She looked over at the nurse with pleading eyes and was relieved when she saw her get up from her kneeling position.

"As you wish, ma'am," she said calmly before leaving Rose to her privacy.

Rose felt more tears slip down her cheeks as she looked up at the bright sky, wondering if he was looking over her despite all that she has done. She lowered her head and let out a mournful cry before she turned her attention back up to the heavens.

"Why did you have to leave me like this, Jack?" she spoke while her eyes glimmered with unshed tears. "After all that we've been through . . . I loved you . . . I _love_ you still."

Rose continued to mourn over the loss of her love, just as the rest of the surviving women did. She could no longer bear the agony of holding back her tears and let out all the tears that longed to be free until she grew exhausted. She sat out there for hours thinking of him and the love she had felt for him.

Her memory of Jack would forever be locked away in her heart, only for her to look back on. She would relive the memories day after day until the moment she takes her last breath. She then made a vow to never tell anyone of her love affair with Jack Dawson or the fact that she was a _Titanic_ survivor. She would keep her promise and move on, despite how hard and unbearable the thought of it seemed to this point; she had to do it for him. It was the only way she could prove to him that she loves him — even though he was no longer in existence. She was starting a new life filled with freedom and the only way that she knew she could move on was to keep everything she knew of her past life a secret; all including Jack and the _Titanic_. Even though she may not ever speak of him to anyone, his memory will forever live on in her heart and of that she was sure.

"I miss you," she breathed while looking up at the sky with bloodshot eyes.

A single tear slipped down her already tear-stained cheek as she lowered her head and thought of all those unforgettable moments she shared with him. They all lingered within her mind every passing second. There was nothing in this world that could lead her to forget the man who has saved her life more than once. He was not just an ordinary person; he was _everything_ to her and more. But from now on, he will be her secret.


	2. A Love Reunited

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. This is solely for the purpose of entertainment. All characters (aside from those that I made up on my own) belong to James Cameron. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Two**

_A Love Reunited_

April, 18, 1912

Days have passed and today was the day that the _Carpathia_ will dock in New York. Rose was pleased that she will finally set foot on land and made a promise to never board a ship again. She could not bear to relive the haunting memories of that tragic night where she lost everything that meant most to her. The sun had long since set into the horizon and now, billions of twinkling stars were placed against the dark night sky. Hours earlier, it began to rain and now it was pouring rather heavily. Rose stood out onto the deck and allowed for the rain to fall on her, not really caring that she was getting soaked from it. She still wore the same lavender dress from the night of the sinking, along with the black overcoat Cal placed around her shoulders when she had been forced to go into a lifeboat. Nothing mattered to her anymore. The whole world around her began to vanish and she only became aware of one thing; the Statue of Liberty.

She has seen the statue many times before, but this was different. She was a free woman, no longer trapped in a gilded cage. She was able to do whatever her heart wanted to, without having to ask permission from others. She was in control of her life now and that was just the way she wanted it to be. If Jack had not steered her toward the right direction, she probably would not be standing on the stern of the _Carpathia_. Most likely, she would be with Cal and her mother, living a trapped life filled with misery. Not wanting to think of her life as a debutante, she pushed the thought aside and proceeded to admire Lady Liberty who held a whole new meaning for her.

She was suddenly interrupted from her thoughts when an officer approached her, holding an umbrella in one hand and a clipboard in another. "Can I take your name please, love?" he said softly as he poised the pen over the paper in front of him.

Rose turned and faced the man who looked at her with his kind brown eyes. Her vision was soon blurred by her tears when she thought of Jack and knew exactly what her answer was going to be.

"Dawson," she whispered without hesitation before putting her attention back to the Statue of Liberty. "Rose Dawson."

The officer looked at her for a brief moment longer before he finally scribbled her name among the rest of the survivor's list. "Thank you," he said before he headed over to another survivor, leaving Rose to her privacy.

_I wish you were here_, a tear slipped down her cheek as she gazed up at the heavens, feeling the cold rain drops fall against her pale skin.

She dug her hands deeper into her pockets, in attempt to warm them from the cold atmosphere, when suddenly she felt something hard and cold brush against her fingertips. A puzzled look swept across her face as she lowered her head and pulled out the heavy object from Cal's coat pocket and felt her eyes widen in shock. She had to blink twice in order to reassure herself that what she was seeing was actually real. What she held in the palm of her hand was none other than the Heart of the Ocean; the precious gift Cal had given her the night she attempted to jump off the _Titanic_. She could not believe that this diamond had been in the pocket throughout all the chaos of the sinking and even afterwards. A sudden rush of tears began to fill her eyes as she remembered all those precious moments she has spent with Jack after having asked him to draw her. She clutched onto the necklace and brought it to her chest as she closed her eyes and felt the tears slip down her cheeks. She opened her eyes shortly after and gazed into the rare blue diamond where she envisioned Jack's eyes staring at her; those piercing blue eyes that gazed at her with pure love and concentration. Those eyes that she knew she will never see again. She let out a shuddering breath as she closed her fingers around the jewel and slipped it back into her pocket, promising to keep the necklace in memory of Jack. She would never sell it; it would only bring Cal back to her and she could not let that happen. She only had this necklace to help revive her memories of Jack, so she had to keep it; she could not afford to lose his memory, even though she knew she would never forget him. She just had to keep the necklace safe.

At that moment, Rose lifted her head and looked up at the dark glittering sky where she saw a shooting star speed by. She briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she felt the raindrops fall onto her skin, sending brief chills down her spine.

_You know, my pops used to tell me that every time you saw one, it was a soul going to heaven._

His voice echoed through her soul as she opened her eyes and stared up at the diamond sky. "A soul going to heaven . . ." she softly whispered as she hugged herself from the chilling cold and thought of where Jack could be. He had done nothing but good in his life and he certainly did deserve to be in a beautiful place called Heaven. She lowered her head and shed a few tears before taking a seat on a bench nearby. Her heart continued to ache as she thought of the happiness she once felt when she was with Jack; now that happiness was forever gone.

The ship was getting ready to dock within the next fifteen minutes and Rose could hardly wait to set foot on land again.

* * *

A groan has escaped from Jack's lips as he moved his head in the opposite direction that he had been facing. He felt extremely uncomfortable due to the heat that was surrounding his body. He heard voices around him but could not really comprehend the words spoken. Several moments later, he finally managed to open his eyes and found that everything around him was out of focus. He softly rubbed his eyes and blinked a few times until his vision finally became clear. He looked down and saw the large number of blankets that have been covering him. He let out a frustrated sigh and threw them off where he then attempted to get up. However, the effort proved to have failed when he fell back on the bed, feeling as if there had been a heavy weight placed upon his chest. He was beginning to grow dizzy which only led for a brief wave of nausea to flood through his stomach.

He looked around him and found a large number of survivors lying on the beds. Some were awake, while others slept. There were very few eating the foods given to them and there had been several that talked amongst each other. Aside from the murmuring of their chatter, the room was quiet. Once the nausea seemed to have passed, Jack pulled himself upright and leaned against the metal headboard while he stared blankly at the space ahead of him. Not even a minute has passed when Jack heard a set of rushing footsteps coming towards him which belonged to the ship's doctor.

"Well, it's quite good to see that you're awake, my boy," the kind doctor had said as he pulled out a clipboard and scribbled something down before he began to examine him. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," he croaked. "And dizzy."

"Aye, normal symptoms," the doctor muttered briefly. "You've regained your normal body temperature, I see. That's good."

Jack looked up at the doctor, confused. Just how long has he been sleeping? He could scarcely remember what happened after he had been rescued. All he did know was that he was extremely tired and cold. That was his major focus, aside from Rose. The sudden thought struck something deep within his heart and he barely even noticed that tears were shining in his eyes.

"Are you all right, sir?" he heard the nurse ask, pulling him back into reality.

He could not find the voice to speak, so he just nodded his head briefly and turned to face the doctor who seemed to have written something else down before pausing.

"Mind telling us your name, son?" the doctor asked, looking down at him.

Confusion swept through Jack's soul as he looked up at the doctor, wondering where exactly he was. "Jack Dawson," he muttered briefly. "Where am I?"

Jack was barely even conscious when he boarded the ship. He did not even have enough strength to board the ship properly and once he was placed upon the stretcher, he instantly fell asleep. That was all he could remember.

"You're on the _Carpathia_, son," the doctor answered. "You are really lucky to be alive; not everyone was as fortunate."

Jack pulled his gaze away from the doctor and thought of all those that have lost their lives due to the tragic end of the _Titanic_. What worried him the most were the lives of his very good friends: Fabrizio, Tommy, Cora . . . and most importantly, the love of his life, Rose. Have they survived? Or were they among those that died? The thought caused for his heart to tighten as tears began to well up at the corner of his eyes. Jack quickly shook his head, not wanting to think of the worst right now. He had to remain optimistic; after all, he always thought of the good more than the bed. There still might be a chance that they were all alive and he had to believe so until he found out otherwise. However, that did not stop him from worrying. His heartbeat seemed to pick up its pace as he thought of whether or not his Rose was alive. Not knowing was what killed him; he just wanted to be reassured. If someone would just tell him she was alive, it would be enough for him; he just wanted her to be safe.

"Bertha, be sure to give this man plenty of nourishment," the doctor told the nurse who stood beside him. "He has been unconscious since he was put here."

"Yes sir," Bertha curtsied before leaving the room to fetch Jack a tray of food.

This led for Jack to become even more confused; just how long has he been unconscious? He closed his eyes and let out a breath before he turned to the nurse who passed him to care for the nearest patient.

"Excuse me, Miss?" Jack called out, catching the nurse's attention.

"How may I help you, sir?" the kind nurse asked as she turned to face him.

"What day is it?" Jack asked, perplexed.

"It's the eighteenth, sir," the nurse replied. "We'll be docking in New York tonight."

Jack looked at her, slightly shocked by her response but thanked her nonetheless. The nurse returned to her duties and Jack was left confused. _Three days?_ He pushed the thought aside for the moment and tried to think of something else. However, all he could think of was Rose and how much he missed her. _She has to be alive . . . she made a promise._ Jack let out a frustrated sigh and he banged the back of his head on the metal headboard, wanting so desperately to know the truth. He did not know how much more of this 'optimism' he could take.

Just at that moment, Bertha arrived carrying a tray of food for Jack. He kindly positioned himself properly as she set the tray over his lap.

"Here you go, sir," Bertha said. "Make sure you eat everything given to you. It will regain your proper strength."

"Thanks," Jack murmured softly while he mustered up a smile.

"You're welcome, sir," she said before turning to care for another patient.

Meanwhile, Jack stared down at the food, which consisted of a bowlful of stew along with a hot cup of tea and a roll of bread. The mere aroma of the food had caused for his stomach to rumble; it was indeed obvious that he was hungry. After all, he had not eaten since before he attempted to tell Rose how he felt about her in the gymnasium. He finished up the stew in a matter of five minutes and even wiped the bowl clean by using a piece of bread to gather up the remaining sauce. Once he was through, he munched on whatever was left of the bread and chugged down the tea shortly after.

He sat on the bed for a few minutes when he realized that he could no longer tolerate the indoors. He had to get some fresh air and he knew that the doctor nor the nurses would allow him to. He took a cautious look around and made sure that no one was watching him before he got off the bed and hurried toward the exit door where he gladly welcomed the pouring rain.

* * *

The rain continued to pour as the _Carpathia_ finally docked in New York at approximately twenty five minutes past nine that night. Rose could already see a large number of people gathered along the pier, waiting to hear the truth of the tragedy that occurred merely three days ago. A small group of reporters were gathered along the pier, demanding answers once the First and Second Class survivors began to disembark the ship. A brief chill has spread throughout her body as she turned around and caught sight of a man who looked a lot like Jack. She blinked a few times to reassure herself that what she was seeing was not from a dream, but when she looked back in the direction where she thought she saw him, he was gone. She let out a sharp cry as she pressed her hand upon her forehead and clutched onto the railing, hardly able to control the rapid beating of her heart. This was all just too much for her; the pain she felt from her broken heart was more unbearable than the freezing depths of the North Atlantic. She truly did not know how much more of the torture she could take. No matter how hard she may try, she can never stop thinking of him. He plagued her thoughts within every passing second and the more he did, the more she missed him. She did not know when she would ever smile again. Jack was the spark of her happiness and that spark had died the moment he did. Rose truly did not know how she could possibly live on without him, but she kept on repeating the promise she made to him and knew that she had to, despite what she felt right now. She closed her eyes and took in deep, soothing breaths until she finally regained her composure. Once she became more aware of her surroundings, she realized that it was now time for the Third Class passengers to disembark the ship. Rose felt her heart beat faster as she made her way to the gangway, along with the many other survivors who were longing to step off the ship just as much as Rose had. The moment Rose set foot on the ground, she let out a sigh of relief. She knew that after this day, she would never board another ship again.

She watched as some reunited with their loved whiles while there were others shedding tears upon realizing that their relative or friend were not among the survivors. Rose had to pull her gaze away for surely she would break into tears again and only cause for her already broken heart to shatter even more. She had to keep telling herself to remain strong; for Jack's sake and for her own. Her trance was suddenly pulled away when she heard a voice coming from a nearby reporter, hounding her with questions she was not ready or willing to answer.

"How was it like? Did the ship really break in two?" the ignorant reporter looked at her eagerly, while he kept a pen poised over his notepad.

She looked into the eyes of the reporter, trying so desperately to hold back her tears before she brushed past him and disappeared into the crowd. She swallowed back the heavy lump that has formed in her throat while she proceeded to make her way through the mass of people until she finally broke free and walked into a dark alley. She slipped both of her hands into her pockets, wanting to keep them warm while she continued to walk in a slow pace toward the end of the alley. She had no money and no place to go. All she had was the motivation to keep her promise to Jack. She had nothing to live by but the love she had for him. Despite this, she was still scared. What if she was unable to live life like this on her own? She had no one to support her. All her life, she had servants tending to her needs; was she truly capable of taking care of herself? Rose pushed the thoughts aside for the moment as she continued along her way out of the alley where she began to walk up the block until she caught sight of a lone bench placed at the edge of the sidewalk. She then took a seat, feeling incredibly drained out from all that has happened three nights ago. She calmly placed her hand over her forehead and kept taking deep breaths in order to suppress her upcoming tears. She had to tell herself over and over that it was not time for her to cry; she has already shed more than enough tears, yet her soul wanted to free more. A few minutes later, she finally managed to calm herself down. She leaned back against the bench as she looked around her surroundings, finding that every store along the block was closed. She could also see lights shining through the apartment windows up ahead, which made her wish she was among those inside. Instead, she was stuck out in the bitter cold with the pouring rain falling upon her pale skin. She shivered upon the brief contact as she laid herself down upon the hard surface, tucking her hands underneath her sleeves while she hugged her knees to her chest. She stared off into space with her empty eyes where she soon became oblivious to the world surrounding her. Nothing but the sound of the pouring rain was heard in the midst of the dark, chilly night. Rose closed her eyes and soon fell into the depths of an uncomfortable slumber.

Jack hugged the blanket close to him while he slowly walked down the sidewalk, not really caring where he was going. He stepped off the ship just moments ago and managed to successfully escape from the ignorant reporters whom instantly bombarded him with questions relating to the sinking of the _Titanic_. The tragedy was still fresh in his mind and he did not wish to share his side of the story with anyone. He was not yet ready or willing to tell anyone of what happened. He did not think he ever will. Tears began to cloud over his blue eyes as he continued to make his way up the block where he suddenly came across a bench. He noticed a person lying on it, but did not really care. There was still enough room for him to sit down and so he did. He ran his fingers through his damp hair and closed his eyes before letting out a silent sob, his heart aching as he thought of Rose.

He still had a small sliver of hope left deep within his heart. There still might be a chance that she was alive and he would find out the truth when he goes to check for the survivor list early tomorrow morning. He could not spend the rest of his life wondering; he had to know the truth. Jack spent the next few moments shedding tears of worry. His heart tightened when he thought of the worse but soon lifted when he thought of her alive. He would never forgive himself if she did not live. He could only hope that what he will find tomorrow will be good and not bad. Not wanting to think of it any longer, Jack leaned against the hard bench where he stared off into space and soon fell into an uneasy sleep while the person next to him sat up.

* * *

Rose heard someone sob next to her, which caused for her to awake from her short slumber. Silence followed shortly after and Rose could not seem to fall back asleep. She pulled herself up into a sitting position and looked over at the person next to her. Even in the dark, she could tell that the person was a man. He had a wet blanket wrapped around him that seemed to have belonged to the _Carpathia_. Rose assumed that he, too, was among the tragedy that she has been through. The man slept against the bench with his face turned away from hers. She noticed something vaguely familiar about the man's face; especially his jaw shape. She could feel her heart racing but did not know the reason why. She found it difficult to breathe while tears somehow managed to slip down her face, involuntarily. She closed her eyes and shook her head slightly, attempting to make herself believe that the man beside her was not anyone she knew. He was nothing but a stranger to her, but why did she feel as if she knew him? Jack was dead. She watched him slip into the ocean; there was no way he could have lived. Even so, her heart could not help but tell her that this was not just a stranger. She glanced over to the sleeping man and felt her heart beat slower and faster at the same time.

_You're being ridiculous_, Rose thought to herself as she soon pulled her gaze away and began to sob. _He's dead._

She closed her eyes and instantly, Jack's face appeared in her thoughts. She covered her face with her hands and began to mourn over the man she loved once more. Everything seemed to have reminded her of Jack; even a stranger who slept beside her on the bench. How could her heart torture her so? Why can she not have one night of peace, without having to be reminded of what she lost? The more she thought about it, the more she cried. She could not control her aching heart any longer. She was weak and heartbroken. She felt ashamed that she was sitting here, crying when she promised herself that she would not. Maybe she was not strong enough like Jack said she was. Maybe it was he who was her strength. She needed him but he was gone. What more could her heart take? She felt completely hopeless but nothing could possibly stop the way her heart ached. She was incomplete without him and she did not know how she could move on when it was clear that her heart only belonged to him. She was not willing to share her love with any other man. She just could not envision her life with a man who was not Jack. It was just impossible for her.

She began to tremble against her sobs, causing for the man beside her to awake. She was much too preoccupied with her thoughts to notice or care. She ran her fingers through her damp curls and continued to cry. Her whole life has fallen apart and she truly did not know how to pick the pieces back up. She needed help, but there was no one there to help her; she was alone.

* * *

Jack let out a silent groan as he heard the person beside him crying. From the sound of it, he knew it was a woman. He opened his eyes and pulled himself into a more comfortable sitting position before he turned to face the woman sitting beside him. Even in the dark, he noticed that she had deep red curls; just like Rose. She was hunched over with her hands on her face, sobbing. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion upon hearing something familiar about her voice and most importantly, her hair. He did not know many women with red hair; actually, he did not know _any_ woman with red hair, aside from Rose. She had the most beautiful, vibrant curls that matched her fiery spirit. He never met a woman as beautiful and as passionate as Rose. He loved every last inch of her and he felt incredibly ashamed that he did not even voice it out to her when he had the chance. Just as he was about to speak, he froze. He narrowed his eyes and came to realize that the redheaded woman wore the same coat Rose wore throughout the sinking; the long black overcoat Cal threw over her shoulders before she had to be lowered in a lifeboat. His heart began to race when he noticed her hands. His throat began to clog from his effort to hold back his tears as he came to realize that this woman was not just an ordinary woman; she was Rose!

Time seemed to have stopped at that very moment. He watched as the beauty next to him kept on sobbing furiously. Tears of his own were glistening over his eyes while relief shot through his soul. She was alive. He wanted to pull her into his arms that very instant, but did not seem to have the courage to do so. Instead, he opened his mouth and let out heavy breaths before he finally found his voice.

"R-Rose?" he whispered softly while a single tear slipped down his cheek.

* * *

Rose suddenly stopped crying. She sat up and stared intently on the brick wall that stood a few yards away from her. She clutched onto the edge of the seat, not having the courage to turn her head. Was her mind playing tricks on her again? Had she truly heard his voice speak her name? She closed her eyes while involuntary tears began to slip down her cheeks. _Could it be possible?_ He did not respond to any one of her calls and she even watched him disappear into the depths of the ocean. He was _dead_. Or was he? She opened her eyes and finally found the courage to turn and face the man who sat beside her. The moment their eyes connected, she instantly knew the truth. Her body began to shake against her sobs as she stared into the eyes of the man whom she thought had died along with the other fifteen hundred people that did. She lifted her hand up to his face and softly touched his cheek, wanting to reassure herself that what she was seeing was real.

"Oh, Jack," her voice cracked through her tears as she pulled him into her arms and sobbed against her shoulder. She felt incredibly overwhelmed, yet relieved at the same time. She had about a million thoughts running through her mind but she did not dare to speak another word. She just closed her eyes and held onto him, never wanting to let him go. She pressed her face against his chest and breathed in his scent, letting the realization sink in that he was actually alive. A moment later, she listened to his heartbeat and smiled ever so gently for she knew that this was not a dream; he was really with her.

He did not know what to say to her. He tried to speak, but nothing would come out. His heart pounded heavily against his chest as he held her close to him. Tears instantly fell from his eyes when he buried his face within the crook of her neck while he softly muttered her name and pressed his lips against her damp hair. He was relieved to have her in his arms after having been separated from her for so long. Sure, it was only three days but to him, it felt as if he had not seen her for years. He pulled away from her embrace several moments later, only enough so that he could look into her eyes. The corner of his lips curved into a loving grin as he caressed her face with both of his hands and blinked away the remaining tears that slipped down his cheeks.

"Rose," his voice was slightly scratched against the cold that surrounded them. He wanted to kiss her but he did not seem to find the courage to do so. He just sat there and admired her while he felt his heart swell up with all the love he had for her.

She placed her hands over his and had more tears sliding down her face. "I thought I lost you," she cried.

"I'm here now," Jack said as he wiped away her fallen tears.

"Promise you'll never leave me again," she whispered.

Jack looked into her eyes and smiled. "I promise," he said with confidence. "I'll never leave you."

She placed her hand over the nape of his neck and grinned. "Never," she softly muttered as she finally closed the space between them with a fervent kiss.

Jack seemed a bit startled at first but a split second later, he wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss. The love he had for her was unlike anything he has ever felt before. It was something that kept his body warm just by the mere thought of her. His heart would be faster, yet slower at the same time whenever he was beside her. He could come up with the sweetest words to say but he knew it would never be enough to express just how much he loved her. He did not need money to be rich; all he needed was her and he would have everything. She was his major reason for wanting to settle down and actually start a family; something he thought he would never do. He held her face as he broke away from her lips and stared deeply into her eyes, feeling his body heat up with complete contentment. He softly caressed her cheek and placed a tender kiss upon her forehead before pulling her into a loving embrace. They stayed like this for quite some time, neither one of them willing to let the other go.

"I love you," she breathed against his ear as she clutched onto the back of his shirt, her eyes closed in attempt to hold back her tears.

A gentle grin has spread across his face when he pulled back and looked into her eyes once more. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear before he finally found the courage to speak.

"I love you too," he said as the pouring rain finally managed to calm down into a drizzle. "I always have."

Tears welled up at the corner of her eyes as she softly pressed her hand against his face, knowing that she truly did belong with him. No other man could make her feel as wonderful and complete as Jack did. When she looked into his eyes, she could see a clear future; she wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of her life with him. She closed her eyes and leaned against his chest while a tiny smile formed at the corner of her lips. Then it came to her realization that he nearly lost his life because of her. Her eyes shot open as an instant agonizing pang of guilt replaced the previous joy she had felt. For the past three days, she mourned over him. Now he was alive and though she was incredibly thrilled, she could not get rid of the thought of him suffering. He was in the water far longer than she, yet he still managed to survive. Rose could only imagine the pain he had to go through in the process and it truly broke her heart. She pulled away so suddenly and covered her face in her hands as she began to sob.

Confusion swept through Jack's features as he watched her cry. He thought back on what he might have done to make her feel this way, but nothing came to mind. He felt his heart tighten with worry as he scooted closer to her and gently removed her hands from her face, attempting to look into her eyes. Before he could do so, she quickly turned her head away while more tears streamed down her face.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked as he softly turned her head to him, wanting to look into her eyes.

She met his gaze soon after and felt her heart sink with guilt while she finally managed to speak. "I'm sorry," she whispered through her tears. "I'm _so_ sorry."

Jack became even more perplexed. "Sorry?" he asked. "For what?"

"For making you suffer," her voice shook against her effort to hold back her tears.

Jack let out a soft sigh as he caressed her cheek lovingly. "Rose, you did not make me suffer," he reassured her. "None of this was your fault."

"You were in the water far longer than I was," Rose managed to say. "You could have . . . you nearly lost your life because of me."

"No, Rose," his eyes bore into her soul as he spoke with love and determination hinted in his voice. "I risked my life _for_ you. I would go through Hell and back for you without a second thought. Rose, I love you. The only way I would suffer is to not have you in my life."

Rose shook her head softly before she spoke. "I'm such a spoiled brat," she cried.

"Don't cry," Jack said as he pulled her into his arms, comforting her. "It hurts me to see you cry."

"But admit it," she said as she pulled away to stare into his eyes. "I am spoiled. I can never live with myself if I do not get what I want."

A smile crept onto his lips while he softly ran his hand over her curls. "Rose," he whispered. "If you weren't spoiled, then you would not have won my heart."

Rose managed to smile through her tears as she pulled him close and pressed her lips against his, bringing him into a tender kiss which brought warmth flooding throughout their bodies. A short while later, their lips broke apart and they finally decided it was time to get some rest. Rose hugged herself against the frigid air while Jack took the blanket that had been left forgotten beside him and wrapped it around her shoulders, giving her a loving grin. Rose then leaned against him and wrapped the blanket around him as well before they shared a loving kiss and fell asleep against one another.


	3. Home Sweet Home

**Disclaimer**: You know the drill; I own NOTHING.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

_Home Sweet Home_

April, 19, 1912

The sun was shining brightly early the next morning while the two lovers slept on the hard bench, cuddling one another. Rose suddenly let out a slight groan and shielded her eyes from the bright sunrays that lit up the world. She squirmed from underneath Jack's embrace and mumbled something incomprehensive to the English language when her eyes suddenly shot open. She sat up and briefly looked around her surroundings, noticing a number of people passing by. Some looked her way while others did not really seem to care. Rose bowed her head and hugged herself against the bitter cold breeze as she turned her head and found Jack sleeping peacefully beside her.

_So it was not a dream_, she thought to herself while a tiny smile crept onto her lips. _Jack really is alive_.

She reached over and softly pushed away the few strands of his hair that fell over his eyes, allowing for her fingertips to brush against his smooth skin. She thought of all that happened within the past week and knew that she was truly blessed to have met him. He was the only person to have noticed her when she was 'invisible' and the only man to have captured her heart so quickly. She has barely known him for a week, yet she was madly in love with him. Tears were beginning to well up at the corner of her eyes while she caressed his face and watched him sleep underneath the bright sun.

Jack slightly moved his head and moaned when he felt someone touch his face. His back was aching from having slept on such a hard surface and his clothes were still damp from last night's pouring rain. He suddenly opened his eyes and found himself staring into a pair of emerald-blue jewels which belonged to only one person; Rose. The corner of his lips curved into a soft smile as he reached over and took her hand in his, giving it a loving squeeze.

"Hey," he breathed. "Good morning."

"Good morning," she replied in return while her smile grew wider.

Jack then pushed himself into a more upright position and ran his fingers through his tousled blonde hair while he let out a tired yawn and stretched out his muscles. He suddenly felt Rose cling onto him tightly, which caused for him to glance down at her with worried eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

"That man," she managed to say.

Jack then followed her gaze and noticed an ugly, overweight drunkard staring at Rose with longing eyes. He instantly became disgusted and held Rose close to him. "C'mon," he said as he helped her up and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. "Let's get out of here."

Rose held onto Jack and looked over her shoulders, noticing how the drunkard grinned at her. She cringed when she noticed how ugly and yellow his teeth were. She quickly turned forward and rested her head upon Jack's shoulder.

"I'm scared, Jack," she admitted shortly after as she looked up at him.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," he reassured. "I'll be here to protect you; always."

Rose smiled and kept a tight hold of his arm. "I love you," she softly murmured as she gazed into his piercing blue eyes.

He paused briefly and smiled in return before he placed a tender kiss upon her forehead. "I love you, too," he whispered as his eyes glimmered with all the passion and love he truly did have for her.

Jack then looked around and noticed that they were in the poorer side of town. A thought suddenly came to his mind while he slipped his hands into one of his pockets and pulled out a wrinkled and dried-out ten dollar bill that Lovejoy gave him when he tried to speak with Rose.

"I guess it can be a good thing to have that Lovejoy guy around at times, huh?" he said with a slight smile as he showed her the bill.

A tiny smile was spread across her face while she looked over at the buildings in which surrounded them. She let out an uneasy breath and grimaced upon noticing how the buildings lacked various sanitary needs. She was not used to living in this part of the city but she knew that she would have to accept it. After all, she chose this way of life. She did not want to be a part of the misery she was in prior to having met Jack. He changed her life and so she was willing to do whatever it took to show him how much she appreciated all that he has done for her.

"Let's go," he said as he took her hand and began leading her up the block.

Jack then stopped in front of a rundown building that was only a block away from where they were just moments ago. He nodded his head slightly and instantly remembered when he resided there a few years ago.

"This is the place we're going to be staying in?" Rose asked nervously as she glanced up at the building with worry shining through her eyes.

"If they have an apartment available, yeah," he said, looking down at her noticing her worried expression. He let out a soft sigh and stood in front of her. "Look, I know this isn't what you're used to, but it's all we could afford as of right now. I promise you we'll find a better place once we get enough money."

"Okay," she said, mustering up a smile.

Jack looked back up at the building and took Rose's hand in his before he led her up the stone steps and toward the front entrance. He kindly opened the door for Rose and allowed for her to step ahead of him. The wallpapers were peeling as a horrible stench filled the air. The counter that was placed at the far end of the lobby was dusty and old. A man stood behind the counter biting his nails and rudely spit the pieces onto the floor beside him. Rose winced when she noticed a bug scurrying across the floor which only caused for her grip on Jack's arm to tighten. He glanced down at her and gave her a reassuring smile as he led her towards the counter.

"Uh, excuse me?" Jack asked politely while he stared over at the middle-aged man.

The man looked at Jack with exhausted eyes and made his final spit before he stood up and leaned against the counter in front of him. "What?" he asked with annoyance as he waited for Jack to respond.

"I was wondering if you have an apartment available," Jack asked, ignoring the man's rudeness.

"I do," he said.

"Well, can we see it?" Jack asked as he looked down at Rose briefly and then returned his gaze to the man.

The man looked at the couple with a suspicious eye before he walked around the counter and led them to the end of the hallway. He then stopped in front of a wooden door and pulled it open, thus revealing a tiny parlor room. Jack and Rose both stepped into the small apartment and cringed when they noticed a few bugs crawling up the wall. Rose kept close to Jack as they walked around the parlor room and began to examine the apartment. There was a worn out sofa placed against the wall with a small wooden coffee table in front of it. Two windows were in the room with torn curtains hanging loosely over it. To the right side of the parlor room, there was the kitchen. It was rather small, but it still had the essentials; a stove, a small ice box and various cabinets for food storage. Then to the left, there was a door. Jack kindly let Rose go as he walked over to it and pulled it open, revealing a tiny bedroom furnished with a bed along with two small nightstands placed on each side. A dresser was pressed up against the wall from the left side of the bed while a dusty mirror hung over it. There was only one window in the room and the dark curtains prevented the sunlight to shine through.

Jack let out a sigh and leaned against the doorway as he stared down at the floor in wonder. He knew Rose will not like this apartment as much as she would a five star hotel, but for the time being, it was all they could afford. He could only hope that she will grow accustomed to this lifestyle. A few moments later, Jack stepped out of the room and stood beside Rose, discreetly slipping his hand in hers. He then turned to face the man who has been waiting rather impatiently the entire time.

"How much?" Jack asked while he slipped his hand into his pocket and gripped onto the bill, hoping that it was not too expensive.

"Well, it's usually two bucks a month," the man replied. "But since there's the two of ya, I'll have to double it."

"All right," Jack said as he placed the bill into the man's filthy hand.

He gave Jack a slight glare and slipped the bill into his pocket while he pulled out a role of singles, counting out Jack's change before handing it to him.

"You two better be married 'cause I don't take unmarried couples," he said.

Jack swallowed the lump that instantly formed at the end of his throat and looked down at Rose with an uneasy smile. "Uh, yeah . . . we're married," he said calmly.

"Good," the man said, not having noticed the lie. "The bathroom is down the hall."

"Thank you," Jack said.

The man handed Jack a pair of keys and stepped out of the apartment as he closed the door behind him and left Jack and Rose to their well needed privacy. Jack then placed the remaining bills into his pocket and walked over to Rose where he instantly pulled her into his arms.

"Everything will be all right now," he said as he softly caressed her curls. "I promise."

She looked up at him with worried eyes. "I certainly hope so," she said, lowering her gaze to the floor.

Jack lifted her chin and gave her a reassuring smile while he looked into her eyes. "I know this isn't much of a home you would like for it to be, but it's all we could afford for the time being," he began. "I promise we'll move out of here once we have enough money to live on."

Rose softly caressed his cheek and smiled. "You don't have to worry," she said. "I don't care where I live, just as long as I'm here with you."

Jack slipped his fingers through her hair and stared into her eyes lovingly as the corner of his lips curved into a tender grin. A few short moments later, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her with every ounce of passion he had left within him. He never felt as truly wonderful as he did when he held her in his arms; he then made a vow to never let her go.

The whole world around her slowly began to disappear as she happily responded to his passionate kiss. She placed one hand over the nape of his neck while her other clutched onto his wrinkled shirt. She leaned against him for support when her knees slowly began to grow weak from the intensity of their kiss. Nearly a few short moments later, she managed to pull away and she stared into his eyes with pure love shining through her own.

His arms were still wrapped around her as a smile instantly spread across his face. He took a brief look around before his eyes finally met hers again. "Home sweet home, huh?"

"_You_ are my home," she replied while their lips met into yet another kiss.

* * *

_Later that afternoon . . ._

"Must you go so soon?" Rose asked with worry shining through her eyes.

Jack mentioned earlier that he would be out looking for a job. Though she knew that they needed to find a way to get money quickly, she still did not like the idea of being separated from him again when they have only just reunited.

"I don't really have a choice, Rose," he said. "We can't live on seven bucks."

"I know," she said as she lowered her head sadly. "I just don't know how I'll handle being away from you again."

A sigh escaped from his lips while he softly brushed his fingers against her cheek. "It's hard for me too," he said, truthfully. "But I'm only doing this for you; I don't want to see you suffer."

"Please be careful," she said as tears began to cloud over her eyes. "I don't want to lose you again."

He instantly pulled her into his arms when he noticed her tears; it truly broke his heart whenever he saw her cry. "I'm going to be all right," he reassured her. "I promise."

Rose let out a laugh and wiped away the single tear that managed to slip down her cheek. "God, I'm so pathetic," she said.

"No," he spoke softly while he lifted her chin with his index finger. "You have a right to worry; we've been through a lot together."

She stared into his piercing blue orbs for a moment longer before she wrapped her arms around him. "I love you," she whispered as she pulled away and firmly pressed her lips against his.

"I love you too," he replied in return, shortly after they broke away from their kiss. "Will you be okay?"

Rose nodded her head and held back her tears. "I'll be fine," she said. "Just don't be gone for long."

"I won't," he promised as he leaned down and kissed her once more. "I'll see you."

A soft grin has spread across her face while her eyes glistened through her unshed tears. "See you," she whispered.

He brought his hand over to her cheek and softly brushed his fingers over her skin while he leaned down and pressed his lips against her forehead. He did not want to leave but considering their situation, he did not have much of a choice. If he did not find a job now, he truly did not know how he was going to earn enough money to support her. He loved her with every fiber of his being and he would do absolutely anything to keep her happy. He glanced over at her and smiled before he finally found the courage to leave the apartment. He then let out a breath and stepped out of the building where he began to walk up the block, in hopes of finding a job.

Rose let out a shuddering breath as she closed her eyes and sank onto the sofa, wanting to regain her composure. She has been through so much within the past week; she did not know how much more of this she could take. Her emotions were truly getting the best of her. After some time has passed, she finally managed to calm herself down. She then realized just how filthy the apartment really was. She was purely unaccustomed to living a life where she would have to do the household chores herself, even so, she was determined to learn. She got up from her seat and walked to the makeshift kitchen where she pulled out a rag she found in one of the cupboards and dampened it with cold water. She stared down at the wet cloth and looked around the room, knowing that she had quite a day ahead of her. She decided to start off in the parlor room; she began by cleaning off the dust that was gathered on the small bookshelf. She spent the next few minutes cleaning up the bookshelf and after awhile, she found it to be fairly difficult as the heavy black overcoat was beginning to make her feel uncomfortable. She placed the dirty cloth on one of the shelves and instantly removed the coat as she carelessly tossed it onto the sofa. Her lavender dress was incredibly wrinkled and water damaged after having worn it since the sinking three days earlier. The skirt of her dress fell gracefully to the floor while the bodice still maintained its creamy color. Her once bouncy curls remained lump and dry for she did not get the chance to bathe properly. She let out a sigh and picked up the dirty cloth as she proceeded to clean the bookshelf. Once she was through, she went around and started to clean the rest of the apartment. This process has taken her longer than expected; a little over a half an hour. Nevertheless, she was finished. She then walked over to the sofa and sat down, feeling incredibly exhausted. She leaned back against her seat and closed her eyes for a brief moment before taking in a deep breath and allowing herself to relax for a bit. A short while later, she reopened her eyes and found that her gaze fell upon Cal's black overcoat.

Her eyes suddenly narrowed when she noticed a bump formed at the left inside pocket. _I wonder why I haven't noticed it before_, she thought to herself as she leaned over and grabbed the coat, draping it over her lap. She slipped her hand into the pocket and slowly pulled out the unknown items. Her eyes suddenly widened upon noticing the three thick bundles of money that she now held in her hands. "Oh my God," she muttered as she stared down at the money she now possessed. She took in a deep breath before she checked the other pocket and found two more bundles. "I cannot believe this." Rose automatically knew the reason why Cal had bothered to put the coat on her; he expected her to return to him. The corner of her lips curved into a slight smile as she shook her head and checked the other pockets to make sure there was nothing else there, aside from the Heart of the Ocean. Rose then decided to count the money and found that it all amounted to exactly five thousand dollars.

Rose sat back against the sofa and began contemplating on what she should do with the money. The last thing she wanted to do was use the money that once belonged to that bastard of an ex-fiancé. All he did was cause pure misery to her life and she did not want to be reminded of him any longer; even so, she could not just dump the money away. After having some thought, she decided to keep it considering the situation that they were in; the money will help them when things become rough. She vowed to only use the money only for emergency purposes. She knew how fast the money could disappear and she wanted to keep as much of it saved as possible. Rose spent the next few minutes just sitting around before she finally decided to go out and shop for some food. After all, she had not eaten a meal since she was on the _Carpathia_; God only knew when Jack had.

* * *

Jack has spent the past two hours looking for a job, with no luck. He checked nearly every store that he came across, but unfortunately for him, they were not hiring. Just when he was beginning to lose hope, he found himself standing in front of an old factory which was probably several blocks away from the apartment he rented with Rose. He let out a short sigh and stepped inside while he stood behind at least seven men who were waiting to apply. Jack had to wait five minutes until he finally reached the front desk where a middle-aged man handed him a form to fill out. Jack took the pen from the desk and bent over as he began to fill out the requirements, such as: his name, his date of birth, place of birth, and so forth. Once he was through, he handed the form back to the man who examined it and nodded his head briefly.

"All right, go down the hallway and make a right," he said, pointing to the corridor that was behind him. "There will be a door at the far end; that's where you'll be working. Someone will be there to assist you."

"Thank you, sir," Jack said and walked through the corridor as he followed the directions given to him.

He opened the door and stepped into the room where he noticed about fifty men working. The room was very stuffy and had no windows. There were five large machines and five men were assigned to operate on them while the others would carry the heavy steel over and toss it into the furnace where it would be melted. This process seemed to repeat itself several times. The melted steel would then be molded into various shapes and sizes before the men would transfer the liquid steel to a machine that would cool it and keep it in its molded shape. After that, the men would place the steel along with the others and repeat the whole thing over again. Jack turned over and found a man who looked to be in his early forties sitting behind a desk. Assuming that he was in charge of this part of the factory, Jack walked over and made his presence known.

"Um, excuse me sir," Jack said calmly. "I was told to come here."

The man, who was busy reading a newspaper, looked up at him and straightened up in his seat. "Have you filled out the form?" he asked.

"Yes," Jack answered. "The guy at the front desk has it."

"Okay," he said while he pulled out another one. "You'll need to fill this one."

Jack nodded his head briefly and took the form as he began to scribble down his responses. After a few moments, he finished and kindly handed it back to the man.

"All right, you'll be working here every day from eight in the morning to six at night," he said. "But since you have just come here, you'll need to stay here until eight o'clock. You'll get paid every Saturday once you have finished your shift. You will only get ten minute breaks every two hours, except for weekends in which the breaks are cut in half." Jack watched as the man took the form he filled out and slipped it into a drawer that was filled with a whole stack of them. "You get no paid vacations and only one sick day. You'll be assigned to carry the steel over to the furnace. Once I see your labor progress, you will be moved to the machines. Now go. You have no time to waste."

Jack let out a sigh and nodded his head as he climbed down the stairs and headed to his assigned area. From there, he joined the other group of men who were lifting the steel and picked one up as he began to carry it over to the furnace. He could already feel his muscles tense from the heavy load but he remained determined to complete the process. Once he tossed the steel into the furnace, he walked back to the pile of steel and repeated the procedure. Sweat was beginning to trickle down his face while his muscled ached from having lifted the second load. The intense heat was starting to become unbearable, but he ignored it the best he could and became more focused on completing his task. He just prayed that this day would pass by quickly so that he could go back home to his Rose.

* * *

Rose hugged herself against the bitter chill and continued to walk up the block, in search of a delicatessen. She left the apartment a few minutes earlier and was already two blocks away when she was beginning to feel lost. She reached the end of the block when she decided to turn the corner; from there, she could already see a whole line of local shops a block ahead. She let out a sigh of relief and she sped up her pace as she finally reached the local area where she caught sight of an orphan boy holding up a newspaper.

"Extra! Extra!" the boy shouted. "Read all about it; the sinking of the _Titanic_ leads to great loss of life!"

Rose turned to face the little boy and noticed a picture of the _Titanic_ prior to its maiden voyage placed on the front page of the newspaper. A sudden rush of tears began to flood around her eyes as her heart sank with dread. The little boy walked over to her and gave her a clearer view of the newspaper.

"Here you go, ma'am," the kind boy said as he handed her the paper.

Rose forced a smile and took the paper while she searched for some loose change within the coat pockets. Unfortunately for her, she did not find any. "Would you mind waiting for me here?" she asked. "I'm going to have to buy some groceries because I don't have any change on me right now."

"Not at all, ma'am," the little boy said. "I'll be here when you get back."

Rose just nodded her head sadly and held back her tears as she headed over to the delicatessen nearby. She spent the next ten minutes browsing around and filled the basket with all the items she knew she would need. After making sure she had everything, Rose stopped by the counter and paid for all the contents that were in the basket; it all amounted to four dollars and ninety cents. Since Rose did not have any singles of any sort, she was forced to give him a full twenty dollar bill. The cashier looked over at her with surprise as he took the bill with some reluctance before he started to collect her change; he even had to retrieve some money from the safe in the back room, for he did not have enough stored in the cashier slot. Once Rose received her change, she took the bag which contained her purchased items and kindly thanked the man before she left the store and spotted the little orphan boy whom she met moments earlier.

"Here you go," Rose managed to say as she handed him a dime.

She noticed a bright gleam shining in the little boy's eyes while he accepted the dime and handed the paper to Rose. "A whole dime!" he exclaimed. "Gee, thanks!"

Rose just smiled sadly and watched as the little boy ran up to an elderly woman who stood a few yards away and happily showed her the coin he has just received. She then turned around and began to retrace her steps back to the apartment while her thoughts started to drift off to those who have lost their lives that tragic night. She stood in front of the building a few short moments later and stared up at it with wonder; her life has changed dramatically over the past week. She could hardly believe that she was now living the life that was the complete opposite of the life she was so used to. A part of her was scared, she had to admit but an even bigger part of her knew she would be okay for she had Jack with her. She let out a shuddering breath and climbed up the stone steps as she pulled open the door that led to the lobby. The moment she walked in, Rose noticed the man who gave them the apartment earlier stare at her with a gleam in his eye. Her heart was pounding heavily against her chest as she quickly made her way to the door of her apartment and unlocked it with shaking hands. Once she stepped in, she closed the door and leaned against it while she took in deep breaths, attempting to calm her nerves. Tears were beginning to glisten over her eyes as she walked over to the kitchen and began to store all her purchased items in their appropriate places. After she had done so, she took the newspaper and headed over to the sofa where she sat down and started to read:

_Four days into her maiden voyage, the 'unsinkable' R.M.S. Titanic strikes an iceberg and sank in the early hours of the morning on April fifteenth. The doomed ocean liner held approximate two thousand two hundred and twenty people; only seven hundred survived._

She tore her gaze from the paper while a tear managed to slip down her cheek. Rose had a feeling that half the people on the ship would not live, but she was not expecting this. She covered her mouth and suppressed a sob as her vision suddenly became blurred by her unshed tears. Despite this, she continued to read:

_Some say that the ship has gone down in one piece__ leaving the remaining passengers to linger within the freezing depths of the North Atlantic._

Rose stared down at the newspaper, hardly believing her eyes. _How could someone tell such a lie?_ The ship broke in two prior to taking its final plunge into the ocean; she should know since she was on the ship until the very end. She closed her eyes briefly and let out a breath before she finally proceeded:

_Among those who perished were Captain E.J. Smith and master shipbuilder, Thomas Andrews__. The owner of the doomed liner, Joseph Bruce Ismay, survived._

More tears began to slip down her cheek as she clearly remembered the last time she has seen Thomas Andrews. He was a kind and gentle-hearted man who treated everyone with equal respect, no matter their class. He was a true gentleman, unlike any of the other men among the first class crowd. Her breathing suddenly became heavy and shuddered while her hands shook against her effort to hold back her tears. Pretty soon, she let the paper fall to the floor and instantly covered her face while she released her agony through her tears. A few moments later, she finally calmed down and pulled her hands away where she then came across a picture of herself printed on the bottom half of the newspaper. She instantly became curious and picked up the newspaper as she got a clearer look; it was a picture of her on the night she first became engaged to Cal. Right at the bottom of the picture, it read:

_Rose DeWitt-Bukater, late fiancé to Caledon Hockley, was among the fifteen hundred that died after the doomed ocean liner, Titanic, took its final plunge into the water. Her mother, Ruth DeWitt-Bukater, widowed wife to the late Joseph Bukater, is currently residing with the Hockley's __while she prepares a funeral for her only daughter._

Rose dropped the newspaper onto the coffee table, not wanting to read any more of it. A part of her felt incredibly guilty in making her mother believe that she was dead, but an even bigger part of her failed to forgive her for all that she has done to her. She would rather have her mother think her dead than to be forced into marrying a man she did not love. She has already spent seventeen years of her life obeying her mother's rules; it was about time that she started living her _own_ life, without having to live up to anyone's expectations.

Rose leaned against the sofa, feeling incredibly exhausted; both emotionally and physically. She spent the next few minutes thinking of how much her life has changed within the past week; from having met Jack to moving in with him. This was all too overwhelming to her, but even so she knew she has made the right decision. Jack was whom she belonged with. He was the key to her happiness. There was no possible way that she could imagine spending the rest of her life with anybody else. He was all she truly needed in life. She then laid herself down on the hard sofa and hugged herself against the bitter chill that surrounded her before she finally closed her eyes and fell fast asleep, hoping that Jack would return soon.

* * *

Jack was exhausted and sore from having spent the past six hours working at the factory. The only thing he has managed to eat was a piece of bread; nothing that truly filled him up. He was two blocks away from the apartment building, but to him it felt much farther. He took slow and steady steps, not having the strength to walk any faster. He was weak from the hard labor plus the lack of nutrition. Even so, he was determined to remain strong. He had to do so for Rose. Right now, she was his main priority. He cared about her more than anything else in the world. He reached the apartment nearly ten minutes later and climbed up the stone steps before he pushed the front door open with every bit of strength he had left in him. He then dragged his feet to the door that would lead him inside his new apartment that he now shared with Rose. Just the mere thought of her brought his spirit up. He felt his heart flutter softly while a tiny smile curved upon his lips. He pressed his forehead onto the door and closed his eyes briefly as he finally mustered up enough courage to open the door.

Once he stepped inside, he quietly closed the door and noticed a silhouette of his love sleeping on the sofa. He smiled as he tip-toed quietly to the couch where he leaned over and placed a gentle kiss upon her cheek. Even in the dark, he could see her smile. He softly caressed her curls before he got up and headed over to the bedroom door as he stepped inside and removed his heavy boots. After doing so, he laid down upon the worn out mattress while his thoughts began to dwell on all that has happened thus far. A sigh managed to escape from his lips as he pulled up the blanket that the _Carpathian_ crew gave him and finally slept though the remainder of the night.


	4. A Passionate Heart

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything. The great love story of Jack and Rose belongs to the wonderful James Cameron. What would we ever do without him?

* * *

**Chapter Four**

_A Passionate Heart_

May, 4, 1912

Weeks have passed and everything remained the same; Jack would wake up in the early hours of the morning and head off to work, leaving Rose alone in the small apartment. She missed him. They barely spoke to each other because his job either kept him away from her for so long or he was in the tiny bedroom, sleeping. She was becoming frustrated because the one thing she longed for the most was to have him by her side. Rose knew the reason why Jack wanted to maintain his job but she did not even have the chance to sit him down and show him the money she has found in Cal's overcoat pocket weeks ago. He was always busy and tired.

She was currently reading through the survivor list that was printed on the newspaper she had purchased from the little orphan boy back when she first moved in with Jack. She was not in the least bit surprised when she found her mother's name among the list, as well as her ex-fiancé, Cal. She looked through the remainder of the list and found that the majority of the first class women she had known on the _Titanic_, survived; she also noticed that most of them have been left widowed. She let out a sigh and flipped through the pages until she came across the third class list. Her heart began to pound heavily against her chest as she skimmed through the list, hoping to find some of Jack's friends that she was graceful enough to meet when he took her down to the third class party. She checked the list more than once and found that neither one of them have survived. She felt tears well up in her eyes when she thought of all those poor innocent souls that were lost that ill-fated night. Her hands were beginning to shake against her tight grip on the newspaper and after having spent the next few moments staring down at the list, she threw the paper and sobbed furiously within her cupped hands. So many people have lost their lives that night for no absolute reason; they were only looking for a better life in America and because of this, they were forced to greet such a terrible tragedy.

She finally calmed herself down and sat back against the hard sofa where she slowly became engrossed within her thoughts. She had so much to ask Jack, yet she was unable to; he never had the 'strength' to listen. To her, it felt as if she were living alone. It was as if he did not even survive and it broke her heart to know that he had no time for her. She knew what he only did this for the best of her, but she could not take it anymore. She just wanted him by her side and could care less whether or not they could afford to eat. She loved him; that she was most sure of and she did not want to spend a single moment without him.

Rose never left the apartment; the only time she would was to go out and purchase food when she ran out. The majority of what she would eat was bread and apples, considering that she was not too familiar with the culinary world. Even so, she was getting rather tired of eating the same thing on a daily basis. She placed her hand over her stomach as it grumbled in hunger. It was already past noon and she has not eaten anything since the night before. She was in no mood to chew on stale bread and finally decided that she should give cooking a try. With a sigh, she got up and headed over to the icebox where she pulled out a couple of eggs and carefully placed them on top of the counter that stood beside the stove. She spent the next few moments searching for a pan and once she found one, she gave it a thorough wash and set it on the stove top where she lit the burner. She glanced over at the eggs, hoping that she would be successful in her next task. She picked up one egg and cracked the shell open as she watched the liquid part of the egg fall onto the semi-hot pan. Nearly a minute later, she noticed steam coming out of the cooked egg. She had one problem; she did not know how to remove the egg from the pan. She quickly began to look around for a tool that she could possibly use to take the egg out when the smell of smoke began to fill her nostrils. She turned around, finding that the fire has somehow gotten onto the egg and the flame was flickering over the pan. Rose began to panic as she rushed to the stove and instantly turned off the burner. After doing so, she looked around the room and grabbed a dirty cloth where she soaked it with water and tossed it over the pan as she burned out the small fire.

Rose clutched onto the edge of the counter and closed her eyes while a swarm tears were beginning to stream down her face. She slid down the counter and pressed the back of her hand against her trembling lips where she let out a shuddering cry. Things certainly were not going her way; she was unable to communicate with the one man who has stolen her heart nor was she even able to cook an egg. She felt completely useless. She looked around the apartment with watered eyes and decided to go out for a bit. She could not bear another moment alone. She pulled herself up and wiped away her tears before she smoothed out the skirt of her simple pale blue dress that she was given to the week before. She kept the other dresses hidden in the closet that was placed beside the mattress in the bedroom. She only had two extra dresses, not counting the one she wore during the sinking of the _Titanic_. Without a second thought in her mind, she walked over to the heavy coat that she hung in the tiny closet beside the entrance door and pulled out a twenty dollar bill from one of the stacks where she then slipped it into the pocket of her dress. She was planning on purchasing some accessories that she would need for herself, along with something decent to eat.

Once Rose has stepped out of her apartment, she closed the door and locked it before she made her way through the hallway and into the lobby. She kept her eyes forward and paid no attention to the dirty man who stood behind the counter, looking at her whenever she passed by. She did not feel comfortable standing in the same room with that man, so she quickly stepped through the front door and climbed down the few steps that led her to the sidewalk. She walked up the block where she began searching for the nearest departmental store; she finally found one that was placed five blocks away from the apartment building she lived in. A relieved sigh has escaped her lips when she stepped inside and began browsing through the various dresses placed at the corner of the store, hoping to find at least a few more to wear considering that she only had three.

Several days before, Rose met a kind woman that only lived a couple of doors away from her apartment. She was possibly a few years older than her and lived with her older brother. Her name, from what she remembered, was Gabriella Wallace; according to her accent, Rose knew she was not from around here. Even so, she was grateful to have met someone who was generous enough as to provide decent clothing for her to wear. She never knew someone could be so kind to a stranger. This made her appreciate her decision more; people only showed her respect because of her financial status. She hated that about her past live. No one was willing to look past the money to see the real her. Now, she was taking a different path in life which guaranteed freedom and happiness. She did not need money or expensive things to make her happy; all she truly needed was love and she has found that with Jack. If only he could have more time for her.

Rose was much too engrossed in her thoughts that she did not even notice that a middle-aged woman, who most likely was the manager of the store, standing beside her. Rose kept searching through the dresses, finding that none of them truly appealed to her as she would have liked.

"May I help you, ma'am?" the woman asked, eyeing Rose rather suspiciously.

Rose turned to face the lady and gave her a small smile. "I'm just browsing," she said. "I think I could manage on my own, thank you."

The woman looked her over from head to toe and shook her head disappointedly. Rose wore the same shoes that she has worn since the sinking and it was incredibly damaged from the salt water. Those were truly the only pair she owned and she did plan on purchasing new ones soon; just not presently. Rose could feel the woman staring at her as she proceeded to look through the dresses; she tried to ignore it, but she found it rather difficult and she was beginning to feel uncomfortable. A moment later, Rose let out a sigh and turned to face her.

"Ma'am, I am not going to steal anything," Rose snapped, knowing what the lady was thinking. "I have more than enough money with me. I can assure you, I am not a criminal."

The woman kept the suspicion in her eyes while she looked over at Rose. "Well, what are you looking for anyway?" she asked, trying to sound as polite as possible.

"I'm not positively sure," Rose admitted while looking down at the dresses. "I just want something to wear when I'm out; something cheap and comfortable, perhaps."

The lady nodded briefly and pulled out a dress that was lavender in color. The sleeves were elbow-length and had lace trimming at the hem; the neckline was square and had a lace covering over the bodice. The skirt of the dress flowed gracefully to the floor and had two fabric layers. It was simple, yet beautiful. "I suppose this one should be perfect for you," she said.

Rose let her hand run over the soft fabric and nodded her head. "How much?" she asked.

"Five dollars," the woman replied after she glanced down at the tag.

"Okay," Rose said as she took the dress and draped it over her arm.

"Would there be anything else, ma'am?" she asked, looking up at her.

"I was wondering," Rose began, feeling rather foolish. "Would you happen to have some sort of underclothing that would be much more comfortable to wear than a corset? I honestly do not believe I could tolerate the garment any longer."

"Well, I don't blame you," she commented with a grin. "Come this way."

The saleswoman led her over to the opposite side of the store where Rose noticed a whole stack of undergarments; some of which she has not ever laid eyes on. The woman picked up one particular garment and showed it to her.

"This here is a brassiere," the woman began. "It provides the same support in the bust area as a corset does, only it's far more comfortable and actually allows for you to breathe."

Rose laughed upon her comment and reached for the garment. "Then I'll be more than happy to buy it," she said. "Anything is better than a corset." She took a few more off the stack and looked over at the saleswoman. "Would you mind showing me to some more dresses? I don't have that many with me. I just want enough for me to change by."

"Absolutely, I'll pick some out for you," the woman replied as she led her back to the other side of the store and pulled out a few dresses from the rack that were all in various colors and patterns. "The fitting room is just along the corner there," she pointed to the wall facing to the right of them. "Why don't you try these on and make sure they fit you properly. If you need any more help, I will be by the front desk."

"Thank you so much," Rose said, draping the other three dresses over her arm. "You have been so helpful. I probably would have wandered around for hours, not knowing what to buy."

"Well, that's what I'm here for," the woman replied with a smile. "And I do apologize for my rather rude behavior earlier. One can never be too careful nowadays."

"Quite all right," Rose said. "Well, I'll go on ahead and try these on."

"Please do," the saleswoman said and gave her a kind smile before she headed back to the front desk.

Rose then slipped into the fitting room and began to try on the dresses. She spent the next five minutes doing so and surprisingly, everything fit well; aside from a couple that were slightly big, but nothing that looked too awful. Rose loved the dresses and she was glad to have something that was much more comfortable to wear than any of the fashionable dresses she has worn in her past life. She was also thrilled that she would no longer require wearing a corset; she has dreaded that garment ever since she was thirteen. Now, she would be able to breathe properly and feel very much like herself. Once she changed back into her original dress, she stepped out and began searching for more undergarments that she would have to wear. After doing so, she headed over to the accessory section and looked through the various hairbrushes that were on display. She found an inexpensive one and pulled it out from the shelf, along with a few colorful ribbons.

Just as Rose was about to head over to the front desk to purchase the items, she caught a glimpse of a deep red velvet book that rested at the far end of the shelf. She slowly walked over to it and lifted it from its place where she then began to examine it. A thin brass plate was placed right in the middle of the cover and the word 'diary' was engraved onto it in cursive writing. She noticed that it was a rather thick book and started contemplating on whether or not she should buy it. After having spent a few moments thinking it over, she finally decided that she should. It was only six dollars at cost and would be a good tool for her to use in writing down her deepest thoughts so that she would not get as emotional or frustrated as she is as of this moment. She grasped onto one of the pens that was placed alongside the diary and proceeded to make her way over to the front desk where she neatly set her items on top. It had taken an extra five minutes for the saleswoman to price everything up and once she had, she began to store all the purchased items into a bag. It all amounted to exactly nineteen dollars and twenty cents. Once she has received her change, Rose took the sales bag and thanked the woman before she left the store to head over to the bakery she caught sight of a block down.

Rose made her way over to the bar stool by the counter and carefully set her bag down in front of her. A few short moments later, a waitress came to her aid.

"Welcome to Joe's Café, how may I be of service to you?" the waitress poised her pen over a notepad, ready to take her order.

Rose looked up at her and began to think before she finally came to a decision. "Um, how much are the éclairs?" she asked.

"Twenty-five cents," the waitress replied soon after.

"Okay, how much is a glass of warm milk?" Rose asked while she fiddled around with the coins that were placed in her dress pocket.

"Twenty cents," she answered.

Rose quickly calculated the amount in her head and nodded for she knew she had enough change to purchase the small meal. "I'd love to have an éclair with a glass of warm milk then, please," she said.

"Your order will be ready in a few moments," the waitress said before disappearing into the back kitchen to prepare the order.

Rose started drumming her fingers over the counter as she admired the small café. It was perfectly cozy and comfortable; a place she could see herself visiting quite often. She then paused when a sudden thought came to her mind. She straightened up and began to wonder if the manager was willing to hire her if she dared to ask. Rose knew that she was inexperienced with having to provide service for someone, but she also knew that she could learn. After all, she was a fast learner. She did happen to notice the 'help wanted' sign at the front of the café and Rose was hopeful that she would get the job; she just had to sound very confident and convincing. She was getting rather fed up in having to spend hours upon hours alone in the small apartment, waiting for absolutely nothing but a repeat of the previous day. She just wanted to find something to do while Jack proceeded to concentrate on his job. Also, she did not wish to spend all of the money she has found thus far; she was planning to save it in case of emergencies. She only spent approximately fifty dollars within the past few weeks and she wanted to keep her spending habits at a minimum.

Her thoughts were suddenly shattered when the waitress arrived with her order shortly after. "Here you go, ma'am," she said as she had everything set in front of her. "If you need anything else, let me know."

"Thank you," Rose replied before she eagerly began to munch on the pastry. She cherished the taste of the éclair while she gracefully sipped from her class of milk. She spent the next couple of minutes eating while she proceeded to think of the possibility in having a job here. When she finished several moments later, she slowly slid off her chair and smoothed out her dress. She then bent down and retrieved her shopping bag as she called for the waitress who came out almost instantly. "I was wondering where the manager's office is? I would like to have a job here."

"It's back here," the waitress replied, pointing to the back room. "You can come over; he is looking for some people since I am currently the only waitress working here."

"Thank you," Rose said as she followed the waitress into the back room and towards a door that had 'manager' written on a gold plate.

"Here you are," she said. "He's very polite. I'm sure he'd hire you."

"Thank you," she mumbled while the waitress left to tend to another customer that has walked in. Rose took in a deep breath and lifted a fist where she gave the door a few swift knocks.

"Come in," came a muffled voice from the opposite side of the door.

Rose reached for the doorknob and twisted it briefly as she pushed it open and peeked inside. "Um, excuse me?" she asked where she then grabbed the man's full attention. "I'm truly sorry for bothering you sir, but I saw your sign out front and I was hoping that I would get an interview for the job."

The man was sitting behind a desk, looking rather handsome with his slicked black hair and soft green eyes. He had a catching smile that lit up his face. "Of course," he said as he waved to the chair that was placed at the other end of his desk. "Do sit down."

Rose placed a calming smile on her face while she closed the door behind her and headed over to the chair where she sat down. She set her shopping bag on the floor beside her before she folded her hands and placed them neatly on her lap.

"Well to start things off, I'm Joseph Calvert," he said as he extended his hand out in greeting.

"Rose Dawson," she replied before she shook his hand.

"Well, Rose . . . um, may I call you Rose?" he asked politely.

"Certainly," she replied.

"Good," he stated with a smile. "Well, Rose . . . how old are you, if you don't mind my asking."

"I'm seventeen," she answered. "I will turn eighteen in October."

Joseph nodded his head slightly as he leaned back against his seat. "Do you have any past experiences?" he asked while his eyes kept a firm gaze through hers.

This was the question she was dreading he would ask. She knew she did not have any experiences and she did not have the heart to lie to him; she just had to remain confident in herself. "Well, I'm afraid I don't, actually," she answered with a slight hesitance as she swallowed back rather uneasily. "But I do assure you that I am a fast learner. Please sir, I do need this job. It is all I would have in order to fully support myself." She firmly pressed her lips together while she waited for his response. What she told was only a partial lie; she had Jack who was supporting them both and she still had enough money to live by for the next few months or more. Even so, she had to get this job. It was the only thing that would distract her from the emotional stress she was going through.

"Hmmm," he murmured as he seemed to have thought it over for the next few moments. "Well, I do need a new waitress here and you are truly the only one that has come by aside from Sylvia . . . well, I do trust you on your word, so I suppose you can now call me your new boss."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Calvert," Rose said with a beaming grin. "I really do appreciate it."

"You're very welcome, Rose," Joseph said, smiling in return.

"When should I start?" she asked after a brief moment of silence.

"Well, how about tomorrow at nine o'clock sharp," he replied. "I will give you your uniform now so that you will be ready when you get here." He excused himself as he headed over to a closet that was placed right to the side of the room; there, he pulled out a waitress' uniform, along with a matching hat. "I should suppose that this would be your size." He held out the uniform for her to examine and smiled at her.

"It looks pretty close, actually," she admitted as she took the uniform in her hands. "Well, I shall see you tomorrow morning then."

"Absolutely," he stated. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Rose bid her goodbyes and left the office where she neatly slipped her uniform into the shopping bag before she took out the forty-five cents she owed the waitress for her glass of warm milk and the sweet éclair she devoured earlier. She called for the waitress and gave her the money before she thanked her and left the café where she began to head back home.

* * *

Jack stormed out of the factory, feeling incredibly frustrated and stressed. For the past few weeks, he has put out of his way to do the best in his job only to get fired for the purpose that he was 'not quite doing what he was supposed to do'. He angrily cursed at himself as he proceeded to walk down the block, heading back to the place he now called home. He hated himself for not trying harder but then again, he hated himself for not having spent as much time with Rose as he hoped to. Ever since he first started this job, Rose had continuously plagued his mind. No matter how hard he would try to concentrate at his work, he found it utterly impossible when an image of her shining face flickered within his thoughts. The factory work had taken a whole chunk of his energy away and because of this, he did not have enough strength to even talk to the woman he loved so desperately.

Jack had twenty dollars stashed away in his trouser pockets. He did not spend a single penny of the salary he earned throughout his time at the factory; the reason? He was planning on purchasing something special for his Rose. Just to the corner of the block he was on, there was a small jewelry store that was approximately a block and a half away from the apartment building he lived in with Rose. After having spent the next few moments debating whether or not he should go home or to the jewelry store, he finally decided and turned to corner of the block where he slipped into the store and heard the soft jingle from the bell that hung over the entrance door. He swallowed down the lump that somehow began to form at the end of his throat while he proceeded to walk over to the glass counter and bent over where he examined the various rings that were on display. He wanted to find the perfect one for Rose, but he was having trouble coming up with a decision.

"May I help you, sir?" a middle-aged man asked upon emerging from the back room.

Jack instantly looked up, quite surprised as he let out a sigh and nervously ran his hand over his shaggy blonde hair. "Uh, yeah," he managed to utter a few moments later. "I was wondering if you could . . . um, show me some engagement rings?"

"Why certainly," the man replied while he slid open the back window of the counter and pulled off some expensive looking engagement rings. "These are the best in the house; perfectly capable of catching any woman's eye."

"Uh, yeah," Jack said rather uneasily as he scratched the back of his head out of nervousness. "Do you have anything that's cheaper?"

The man raised his eyebrows in surprise and stacked the rings away before he pulled out some simple looking ones from the shelf. "There ya go," he said, placing his hands over the edge of the counter, waiting for Jack to make a choice.

Jack looked down at the set of rings and began to examine each and every one closely, hoping to find something that would be perfectly suitable for Rose. There was one that was just a plain gold band while there were others that were silver. However, one in particular has caught his eye; one that truly reminded him of his love for Rose. The ring that he was admiring currently had a simple gold band with tiny diamonds surrounding it. In the middle was a small red ruby in a shape of a rose. Jack instantly knew that this was the ring he should get for her.

"I'd like to take this one," Jack muttered softly as he pointed to the ring he desired.

The man nodded his head in agreement and picked up the ring that Jack has chosen while he placed the others back on the shelf. "This one could be engraved — free of charge," he began as he leaned against the counter and held the band of the ring. "Would you like for me to engrave those three magical words?"

"Uh, yeah I'd like something engraved," Jack said, the corner of his lips curving into a slight smile. He watched as the man grinned at him before he was about to head to the back room. "But," he continued, noticing that the man has stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face him. "Those are not particularly the words I would want engraved; she already knows that I love her."

The man raised his eyebrows in confusion and walked back to the counter. "Very well then," he said. "What _would_ you like for me to have engraved?"

"'You jump, I jump'," Jack replied, knowing that those four powerful words have a strong meaning to the love they have felt for each other.

"Okay," he said with a sigh before he headed to the back room, shaking his head softly.

Jack waited for approximately ten minutes before the ring was finally finished. Once the man handed him the ring, Jack took it and examined the inside of the band as he nodded his head in approval. Shortly after, he looked up and was dreading to ask his next question.

"How much?" his throat began to clog from his worry that it would over exceed the amount of money had in his pocket.

"Forty dollars," the man replied, coolly.

Jack then shut his eyes and let out a saddened sigh. He knew he did not have enough money to buy the ring, but he also knew that he could not walk out of this store without it. His heart began to sink with dread as he reluctantly handed the ring back to him, shaking his head sadly. "I-I'm sorry," he began. "I don't have enough to buy it." Jack then turned and began to walk away, feeling angry at himself to think that something so beautiful could be anything less than what it was worth. Just as he was about to open the door, the man stopped him.

"Wait," the man suddenly called out. "I could keep this in layaway for you until you give me the full amount."

Jack paused and shuffled his feet from underneath him before he turned to face the man who held the engagement ring. "Thank you," he began. "I'd really appreciate that."

"You're welcome," the man stated. "It will be here when you return."

Jack nodded his head in response and left the store shortly after. He let out a nervous sigh and closed his eyes briefly as he finally made his way back to the apartment building. His thoughts suddenly fell on Rose once again; he could hardly wait to marry her. It was in his heart to do so ever since he first fell in love with her on the _Titanic_. He hoped to God that he would somehow get the extra twenty dollars so that he could pay off the ring and finally propose to her. He felt that he should have done so since they first moved in together, but he wanted it to be perfect. She was special to him and all he could ever want from her was her happiness and love. He just prayed in the back of his mind that she was not mad at him for having been so distant with her; he had not done it intentionally, he was just much too exhausted to keep awake after having spent long and agonizing hours working at the factory. He stopped in front of the building and let out a calming sigh while he climbed up the few steps leading to the front entrance and stepped inside. He felt his heart pounding hard against his chest as he thought of the loneliness he felt within the past few weeks. He could only hope that Rose was still in that apartment, waiting for him. A part of him was beginning to believe that she was better off with Cal since he could provide for her much more than he can, but just as quickly as the thought came to his mind, it had vanished. Cal did not deserve Rose; he did nothing but treat her as if she were a possession. Jack could not bear to see the fire that was ablaze in Rose's spirit burn out because of some rich bastard who cared about nothing else but himself. He quickly pushed any thought of Cal to the back of his mind as he finally reached the door that led to his apartment. He closed his eyes briefly and leaned his head against the wooden door while he reached his hand over the rusted doorknob and gave it a gentle twist before pushing the door open, finding that the parlor room was empty.

His stepped inside shortly after and closed the door behind him. He looked over at the makeshift kitchen and found that it was empty as well; there was only one room left in the apartment and he only hoped to God that she was inside. He slowly walked over to the bedroom door and opened it quietly where he found his love sitting on the worn mattress, writing in a notebook.

* * *

Rose pushed open the door to her apartment and quickly slipped inside before she slammed the door behind her. She did not appreciate the way the landlord looked at her and she most certainly did not enjoy breathing the same air as him. He made her feel incredibly disgusted and uncomfortable. She could hardly wait for the day when she and Jack would move out of here. It was only a matter of time that they would; she just had to be patient. She then let out a soft sigh as she finally regained her composure and headed towards the tiny bedroom that Jack usually slept in. She closed the door behind her and placed her shopping bag beside the dresser where she bent down and pulled out the diary she has purchased, along with the pen. She brushed her fingers over the velvety cover and made her way to the mattress where she sat down and turned to the first blank page of the diary. She reached over and scribbled down the date at the top right hand corner before she paused briefly and finally began to write out her thoughts.

_May, 4, 1912_

_Dear Diary,_

_Here I am; a free woman at last. I do not believe I have ever felt this content in my life. I am truly lucky. I sit here today and often wonder what my life would be like had I married the man that proceeded to make my life a living hell. That man, you__ may ask, is Caledon Hockley. He is most well-known for being the most eligible bachelor in all of Philadelphian society; that is, up until he asked me to marry him. That is when the misery began. It is not like I had any choice of the matter; Mother kept reminding me of the money loss that followed my Father's death so I had no say when it came to the proposal. I guess you can say that I was obligated to accept, despite what my heart was telling me. It was just the kind of pressure my Mother put me in. I do not think she ever cared for my true feelings; she just wanted to be reassured of her financial status, so she 'sold me' off to the richest bachelor in Philadelphia and was planned to be married in what would have been exactly one week from today.__ I could already imagine the chaos that would follow within this week, if I had stayed with Cal. I know I would have been entirely miserable, but I would be discreet in showing it out to the public. It purely amazes me how pathetic and narrow-minded everyone in high-class society has turned out to be. All they could possibly care about is money; that's all they spoke of and all they bragged about. __It just sickens me to know just how arrogant the majority of the rich people are. They just fail to look at life at a different perspective either that or they are just too blind to see the true beauty of life; most likely __the latter._

_I suppose it is time that I should introduce myself. I am Rose; formally known as Rose DeWitt-Bukater. My past life as a rich debutante has long since been over. I never was fond of being the 'little rich girl' and I certainly despised having to attend countless of boring social parties that went on for hours on end. This life was just not meant to be. I could not bear to pretend anymore. Every day of my life, I had to put on a fake smile and go on through the day, wishing I was somewhere else. Nobody cared. Not my Mother or Cal; they were all too focused in the upcoming wedding that I secretly dreaded. I played along with their game for far too long; possibly for the past year and a half. I was a mere sixteen year old when I first became engaged to that bastard. I sit here right now, thinking why in the world I have accepted and nothing comes to mind aside from the fact that my Mother feared of living out in the streets. I did this all for her and never for myself. I had to lie to my own heart __because my Mother wanted me to live the life that she did. I cannot say that I blame her for what she has done. I guess I am just rather disappointed and hurt that she failed to see my true emotions concerning the arranged marriage. I have tried so hard to play along, but I no longer could. I was yearning for a different life; a life that was filled with freedom, happiness, and love. Just when I thought things could no longer get any better for me, he comes along._

_It is a long story to tell but I guess I shall start at the very beginning. Mother, Cal, and I took a trip to Europe for a few weeks. __Cal thought it would be a perfect opportunity for me to go out and purchase as many dresses as my heart desired. Of course I did not care for it; it was Mother who has been much more excited about it than I. She even brought me over to one of the best shops in all of London where I was forced to try on over a dozen wedding dresses. We must have been in that shop for over two hours until she finally found one she was satisfied with. Personally, I did not care for the dress or anything pertaining to my marriage with Cal. I hated him and I wanted nothing more than to be freed from his wretched grasp. Even so, I knew that it was all too impossible. I have already accepted the engagement; there was no turning back after that. I was doomed to be his slave forever . . . or so I thought._

_When it came time for our 'vacation' to end, Cal did not hesitate in __booking five first class tickets to the Titanic. Many people have called it the grandest ship in the world — the Ship of Dreams. Some even dared to say that it was 'unsinkable'. That is all complete rubbish for we all know that every ship is sinkable, just as every person is born to die. The ship was brand new and would set sail on her maiden voyage on the tenth of April; Cal bought the tickets three days beforehand. Everyone else was rather ecstatic on having to go back home on the Titanic but I was the complete opposite. I absolutely dreaded having to go back to Philadelphia for I knew that once we got there, Mother would be making preparations for the engagement gala and soon after, the wedding. It was a never ending process for me.__ All I wanted was to explore the world and become a famous actress but because of my social standing, I was incapable of achieving any of my desired goals. I was forced into a life filled with pure Hell and I could not do anything about it. I was absolutely devastated. What was I to do? Mother and Cal had complete control over me and all I did was allow for them to constantly berate me like a little child. I felt hopeless. No matter what I would do, I was forced to become the wife of Caledon Hockley. I knew that when that moment comes, I would never be happy again; not that I ever was to begin with._

_Then comes boarding day; it was close to eleven in the morning and I was not even ready yet. Mother and Cal were obviously furious with me but I did not care. I dressed in black for I was mourning over my freedom — the freedom that I never had. Mother was completely appalled upon my choice of attire and almost immediately told me to return to my room and change. __Much to my dismay, I obeyed. I was a shattered soul and I could not pick up all the pieces by myself. I __needed help. Most of all, I needed to find a way to escape from this dreadful life. Once I have dressed into something my Mother thought appropriate, we left the hotel and slipped into the Damlier-Benz where the driver took us to the Southampton pier where the ship was to depart. We have arrived much later than expected and because of this, both Mother and Cal were frustrated with me. All that soon faded away once the driver honked the horn in order to disperse the throng of people that were obviously in his way. The ship was ridiculously large, I have to admit. Possibly eleven stories high. It was entirely incredible but I did not want to admit any of this to Cal. I pretended not to be entirely flattered__ with the beauty of the ship which only led to Cal saying just how much larger and luxurious it was than __the Mauretania; the ship we have traveled on to get to Europe.__ I felt like screaming out in agony but I somehow could not release my emotions. Outwardly, I was everything a girl of my social standing should be but on the inside, I was a pure emotional wreck. The ship departed from the Southampton docks at precisely twelve noon. My maid Trudy and I were unloading the beautiful paintings I had Cal buy for me when we were in Paris. I have always been fascinated with art; even as a child. I just thought it was all so beautiful and mysterious. __Every picture told me a story and this was something Cal would never understand. He would constantly tell me how 'worthless' all those 'finger paintings' were but to me, they were priceless. If only he understood . . . well, there is no point in discussing that now._

_The next evening is what changed everything about my life. I was sitting through dinner, not paying attention to what was said in the mindless conversation my Mother was having with the Countess of Rothes. Cal was in his own world bragging about his money as he usually does while I was sitting there, left alone to my thoughts. It was at that point where I have reached the end of my rope. I was sick of my life. I did not want to marry Cal and above all, I did not want to be a part of the life I was born into. I just wanted to be free; to live a life I wanted to and not what my Mother expected me to. I felt as if I was standing in the middle of a crowded room, screaming at the very top of my lungs, but no one truly cared. So if they did not care then, surely they would not care that I was gone. So I purposely cut myself with the butter knife and excused myself to my stateroom. There, I just trashed the vanity and attempted to rip at my dress. I could not take it anymore. I was slowly suffocating and if I did not get out, I would sooner or __later go insane. From there, I ran to the very end of the ship and climbed over the railing without a second thought. I wanted to end my misery. I did not wish to be trapped into a world where I had no control over my life. If this was the only way for me to be freed, then so be it. __However, fate seemed to have been on my side that night because prior to the moment that I would even think of letting go, he came alon__g. He is the one and only man to have managed to save me in so many ways possible that I cannot even begin to list out the ways in which he did. He has captured my heart and soul within the three days we were on that ship.__I can honestly say that I do not regret one single moment I have spent with him. If I had to do it all again, I would without a single doubt in my mind. He is truly everything I could possibly ask for in a man. He saw me when I thought I was invisible to the world and he did everything in his power to free me from my past life. I could not be anymore thankful of a person than I am with Jack. I may not know him too well, but I do know that I am in love with him.__ The bond that we have created has become much stronger than anything else in the world; even stronger than an iceberg._

_Jack has shown me how to live my life. He gave me a sense of hope that I do not have to be obligated into doing anything my heart does not set out to do. He gave me a second chance in life. I am truly lucky to have met him. He may not be the richest man in the world, but to me he has everything I could possibly want. I cannot see myself living a life without him. The fact that I once was Caledon Hockley's fiancé is nothing but a faded memory. My life has changed dramatically since I first stepped aboard that ship. It seemed as if Titanic has led me to the right __path for if I had not been on that ship, God only knows if I would have met someone like Jack. It is sad to say that the ship that once was called 'unsinkable' now lies at the bottom of the North Atlantic. She struck an iceberg during the late hours of April fourteenth. It seems that the crew has failed to obey the iceberg warnings that the other ships have sent to them. It pains my heart to know that a dramatic amount of lives were taken the night of April fifteenth; over fifteen hundred to be exact. Jack was nearly among them, but thank God he survived. That still remains a mystery to me for he never truly got the chance to tell me yet. He has been so busy since he got the job at the factory several blocks away.__ I miss him. It seems as if he is so close yet so out of my reach at the same time. It's been weeks since I last spoke to him and I cannot even begin to explain just how much my soul longs for the sound of his voice. I want nothing more than to be held and kissed by him. No man truly knows how to make a woman so appreciated and loved as Jack does. He brings joy to my soul just by smiling at me. Sometimes I think back and wonder what did I ever do to deserve such a wonderful man? All the same, I am grateful to have him in my life. I would never think of trading his love for anything in the world. His love is worth much more than any expensive diamond that exists on this Earth; all of which includes the Heart of the Ocean. A gift given to me by my ex-fiancé but something that truly is a symbol of the love I have for Jack. Just by one look at the diamond, I am reminded of all the intimate moments we have shared within the cargo hold after having a frantic chase race with my ex-fiancé's manservant, Spicer Lovejoy. I guess that is an entirely different story._

_Well I must end this little tale for the time being; I think I hear Jack's footsteps coming from the parlor room. It seems as if he has arrived home early today._

_Rose_

Once Rose managed to scribble her name down, she closed her diary and carefully placed it beside her as Jack stepped into the room. Neither one of them dared to utter a word to each other for neither knew exactly the right words to say. Rose noticed that his eyes gleamed with exhaustion while a calming smile has spread across his face. She stood up from her seat and began to play with her fingers while she thought of something to say to break the sudden silence that somehow lingered within the room. She let out a soft smile and felt the corner of her lips curve into a tender smile.

"Hi," she said softly as she stared into his deep blue eyes.

"Hey," he breathed while he attempted to calm the rapid beating of his heart.

The two just stared at each other in silence, neither knowing what to say. It was Rose who finally decided to break the silence once more.

"I missed you," she admitted with a whisper as tears were beginning to slip down her cheeks.

Jack felt his heart break at that very moment. He could not stand watching her cry and almost immediately, he rushed to her side. "I'm so sorry," he apologized while he held her in his arms. "I can't believe I've done this to you."

Rose clutched onto his white shirt and let her tears fall down onto the fabric as she breathed in his familiar scent. "God how I've missed you," she spoke through her tears, never once letting him go.

"I'm here now," he reassured her. "I'm not going anywhere."

Rose kept him close to her for the next few moments before she finally found the courage to pull away. "You're home early," she stated through a raspy voice while she looked up at him with glimmering eyes.

"Yeah, about that . . ." he began with an uneasy smile. "I, uh . . . well, I got fired."

She looked up at him, perplexed. "Why?" she asked, knowing that Jack was a hard worker.

"My boss said that I was daydreaming too much," he said.

"Oh?" she said. "Daydreaming about what?"

"You," Jack said while his gaze fell upon hers.

Rose smiled with pure contentment as she pulled him into her arms and kissed him with complete passion, knowing that her love for him will never fade.


	5. The Engagement

**Disclaimer**: You know the deal. I don't own anything _Titanic_ related.

* * *

**Chapter Five**

_The Engagement_

May, 4, 1912

The two spent the next ten minutes just enjoying one another's presence. Neither has even bothered to speak a word for they both knew that no words were really necessary. They just sat down on the mattress and cuddled up against each other while they stared off into space, becoming highly engrossed within their thoughts. It was not until a few moments later when the silence was finally broken.

"You don't even know how much I have missed you," Jack whispered as he looked down at her beautiful face.

Rose smiled up at him with tenderness filling her features while tears began to brim at the corner of her eyes. She could not muster up the courage to speak; she was just happy to have him with her after having spent the past few weeks alone. She felt Jack wipe away the one tear that managed to slip down her cheek before he pulled her into his arms.

"Please don't cry," he spoke softly. "I hate seeing you cry."

"And I hate being away from you," she said through her tears.

Jack then pulled back slightly so that he could gaze into her emerald-blue eyes, feeling a piece of his heart break upon seeing her in such a state. "Shhh, I'm here now," he reassured her. "I'll always be here."

Rose closed her eyes briefly and buried her face within the crook of his neck, not wanting the moment to end. She breathed in softly and lifted her head where she stared into his eyes and smiled. She reached a hand over to his face and softly caressed his smooth cheek, knowing that the love she felt for him grew stronger and stronger by every passing second. She could not bear to spend another moment away from him. She gently leaned her face closer to his and placed a tender kiss upon his lips before she pulled back to stare into his eyes again.

"I'm sorry," he said softly after they spent a few extra moments in silence. "I never meant to do this to you."

"I know," she whispered, never taking her eyes away from his.

"I hated that job but it was the only thing I had to support you," he began. "I wanted you to be happy."

"But I am happy," she stated. "As long as I'm with you, I know that I always will be. I don't care about the money or anything else. You're the one I care most about, Jack. Nothing else matters to me anymore."

He let out a devastated sigh and nodded his head briefly. "I know that, Rose," he said. "But unfortunately, we can't live on love."

"If only life can be that easy," she mused before she finally remembered the stacks of money she found. "To come to think of it, it just might be."

Jack then looked down at her, confused. Rose gave him no chance to even speak as she grabbed his hand and led him into the parlor room.

"I would have told you about this sooner, but I was unable to since you've been fairly busy with work and all," she began as she directed him to take a seat. Once he had done so, she walked over to the small closet and pulled out the overcoat she wore throughout the sinking. She then headed to the sofa and took a seat beside him as she draped the coat over her lap. "But now, I finally have the chance to tell you."

"What's going on?" Jack asked while he stared blankly at the coat on her lap, wanting to know the significance of it.

"It was the night the _Carpathia_ was set to dock," she said. "It was pouring out and I have just given my name to the officer when I felt a heavy weight lingering within the left pocket of this overcoat."

She then dug her hand deep within the pocket and pulled out the last thing Jack had ever expected to see. His eyes practically bulged out of its sockets. "Holy shit," he muttered in pure shock.

"Surprised, I see?" she said with a laugh. "That was my initial thought when I first saw the thing."

"I can't believe the diamond was still in the pocket, even through all the chaos we've been through when . . ." he could not even finish the sentence; he just paused and stared off into space, knowing that neither one of them would ever get over the sinking.

"I know," she simply stated with a grim expression shining over her features. "However . . . this is not the only thing I have found in the pockets."

Jack looked up at her with his eyebrows furrowed. "What else could there possibly be?" he asked as the corner of his lips curved into a slight smile.

"Well, a part of me was not entirely surprised upon finding these," she said when she pulled out the five bundles of money that were hidden within the inner left pocket. "It is so like Cal to ensure his financial security."

"Damn," he breathed while he nervously ran his fingers through his shaggy blonde hair.

"I know you may not fully agree with this but I figured we might as well keep the money," she said. "I hate the thought of having to use Cal's money, especially after all that he has done to us, but I feel that this could get us by for a few months. I figured we should only use it for emergency purposes so that we don't end up spending all of it since we are not financially stable as of yet. What do you think?"

Jack let out a sigh and nodded his head. "I guess you're right," he said. "I hate the bastard for what he did, but I don't think we have much of a choice. I suppose fate wanted us to have the money."

"I suppose so," she agreed while she slipped the money back into the inner pocket. A tiny smile formed at the corner of her lips as she lifted the Heart of the Ocean from its place on her lap and admired it. "I'm thinking of keeping this, too."

"Really?" he asked, glancing over at her with raised eyebrows. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she said with a confident smile. "And not for the reasons you may think."

"Oh?" he kindly took the diamond from her and began examining it as he had before. "I thought you didn't want to have anything to do with your ex-fiancé. I mean, I could understand keeping the money, but . . . _this_?"

"Well, my reason for keeping this is because it reminds me of all the wonderful moments we have spent together following that little drawing you made of me," she replied with a grin. "Of course another part of my keeping this is so that Cal would not find me."

"You mean you haven't 'bumped' into him on the rescue ship?" Jack asked with curiosity as he pulled his attention away from the diamond.

"There has been a moment when he almost found me," she said. "But fortunately for me, he has failed to notice me."

"How so?" he asked.

"I wasn't necessarily lingering within my crowd," she admitted with a shy smile. "I told you on board the _Titanic_ that I would've left the ship with you when it docked . . . and I meant it. Then the iceberg happened and the sinking which changed everything. Even if we may not have gone off the ship together, I was still wanted to have a sense in being with you and the only way that I could was to be a part of the life you were in. I wanted to feel closer to you so that I could have a much stronger determination in keeping your promise. The last thing I wanted to happen was for me to be brought back into my miserable life after you have managed to free me from it."

"So he doesn't know you're alive?" he inquired with his blue eyes glimmering in curiosity.

"Yes," she replied. "And I intend on keeping it that way. I hate that man and I never want to lay eyes on him again."

"Don't you think he'll eventually find out you're alive?" he questioned. "Your name is surely in the survivor's list. It would only be a matter of time when he comes back."

"I doubt there is a chance of that happening," Rose stated as she felt the beating of her heart strengthen out of nervousness.

"I think he'd notice the name 'DeWitt-Bukater' lingering next to yours," he said.

"Yes, but I don't think he would be as successful in finding that name on the list," she pointed out. "Well, at least not next to mine."

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"I did not necessarily give my name in as a DeWitt-Bukater," she stated firmly. Jack just stared at her in bewilderment before she continued. "I gave my name in as a Dawson." She looked over at him nervously, hoping that he was not mad at her for doing so. "I'm sorry, Jack . . . I know it was rather unexpected of me, but —"

Jack placed his finger over her ruby lips and silenced her briefly while a wide grin has spread across his face. He then moved his hand over to her cheek where he caressed her skin softly before he leaned down to kiss her. He pulled away shortly after and stared deeply into her eyes. "I don't know what to say," he admitted as his eyes glimmered with happiness. "I am truly honored, Rose. Thank you."

"I love you, Jack," she said. "I can't imagine living my life without you."

"Well, you're not going to," he reassured her while he wrapped an arm over her shoulders, pulling her close to him.

Rose just smiled and leaned over to kiss him once more. "I'm glad I've met you," she said.

"Me too," he whispered with a smile before he placed a tender kiss upon her forehead.

* * *

Jack and Rose spent the past hour and a half snuggled up against each other. The majority of their time was spent talking; mostly about how they managed to get out of the water to what they have been occupied with in the past few weeks. They were getting to know each other a bit more and were happy to have finally been given some time alone together. However, Jack suddenly remembered the engagement ring he had put on layaway back at the jewelry store. Rose told him that she intended on using the money only in case of emergencies and he had agreed, but he could not help but wonder if he could somehow take twenty extra dollars from the stack so he could pay off the engagement ring he got for her. He hated the fact that he would have to use Cal's money to help him pay for it but in his situation, he highly doubted he would get the rest of the money in time. He was intending on finding another job tomorrow and even so, he knew that the pay salary would not be enough to cover the cost of the ring since he had to use the majority of his salary to support both him and Rose. He then came upon the trouble of having to figure out how to ask Rose to use the twenty extra dollars without him having to spoil his surprise. He let out an inaudible sigh as he sat back in his seat and tried to come up with something; it was not until a few minutes later when he finally did.

"Wanna go out to eat tonight?" Jack asked with the corner of his lips curving into a slight smile.

"Think we could afford it?" Rose asked while she lifted her head a little.

"Well, with the money you've found, we could," he began. "I know a fairly affordable place not too far from here."

"Okay," she said as she smiled sweetly. "I'll go and get myself ready."

Jack nodded his head briefly and watched as she disappeared into the tiny bedroom. He then let out a sigh of relief while he took the coat and slipped his hand into the inner left pocket where he pulled out one stack of bills. He automatically felt his heart tighten with guilt; he hated having to use someone else's money to get by in life but at the back of his mind, he kept telling himself that the money was needed. Besides, he had that engagement ring to buy. He knew that Rose was not impressed by expensive jewelry as most women of her former status are but this time, things were different. He was not intending on purchasing the ring to impress her; he wanted to buy the ring to symbolize the ongoing love he has for her as well as her newfound freedom. He would never dream of treating Rose in the way that Cal did. Jack loved Rose with every fiber of his being; he would much rather jump off a cliff than to cause any harm to her. Cal had a possessive attitude and Jack has seen it from the very beginning when he was arrested after having saved her. Cal went on and on about how it was not in his place to put his hands on 'his' then fiancé. Even after that point, Jack could see that Cal was a controlling man; he cringed upon the thought that Rose was once engaged to be married to him. He pushed the thought away for the time being as he pulled out two twenty dollar bills and stuffed them into his trouser pocket, along with his other one. He was planning on proposing to Rose tonight and he wanted to make sure everything was perfect.

He was just about to get up and put the coat back into the small closet when Rose suddenly emerged out of the bedroom, looking absolutely radiant; even by just wearing a simple day dress. Her hair was pulled back half-way while the remainder of her red curls tumbled down her back. She wore light make-up and a tiny spray of perfume. He felt his heart pounding just by looking at her.

"What?" she asked in confusion as she stared down at her dress. "Is something wrong?"

"No, of course not," he finally managed to say while he slipped the coat back into the closet. "It's just that . . . you are so beautiful."

"I am not," she denied with a blushing smile.

"Don't you dare deny it," he said as he walked over to her and pulled her into his arms.

"I love you," she whispered while her eyes glimmered happily.

He grinned and softly caressed her face. "I love you, too," he said in return before he leaned down to kiss her.

They pulled apart a few short moments later and finally left the apartment, hand-in-hand.

* * *

_A half hour later . . ._

Jack and Rose were comfortably seated at a table for two in Paolo's; an inexpensive Italian restaurant that was possibly four and a half blocks away from their apartment. Their table was placed beside the window where they were able to catch sight of the sunset, not too far off into the distance; it was barely visible, but it was there. It was not until they have finished their meal when Jack finally decided that it was time. Earlier, he went to the jewelry store after having told Rose that he had a quick 'errand' to run and that he would only be a brief minute. She waited for him a few houses down and when he finally returned, she began to ask him questions on what his errand pertained to. Jack reassured her that it was nothing she should be worried about and successfully escorted her to the restaurant where they have dined on a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. It was a simple meal but truly added a sense of romance that had already lingered within the room since there were two lit candles placed on the tabletop. Jack was silent a few moments after their discussion had died down. He absentmindedly began to play with the scraps of food that were left on his plate as he thought of a proper proposal. After some time, however, he finally realized that it did not truly matter what he said; he knew he loved her and that was what he was going to base his proposal on. He let out a nervous sigh and gently placed his fork down on his plate where he then lifted his head and admired the beauty before him.

She had long since been finished with her meal and was currently deep in thought while her attention fell upon the empty plate in front of her. The corner of his mouth curved into a loving smile as he reached his hand over and placed it over hers.

"Rose," he began after he had managed to find his voice. It did take him quite a while to continue but once her eyes connected with his, he found the confidence to. "Rose," he repeated softly. "I know we haven't really gotten the chance to know each other since we've met but I just can't spend another moment of my life without you." He took in a deep breath and mustered up a smile before he continued. "I love you and I know I always will. You _are_ my life, Rose and I don't ever want to lose you again . . . not like I almost did before."

Rose could not even speak. She just stared at him while her heart began pounding heavily against her chest. Her lips were firmly pressed together in order to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. Not tears of agony or sadness; tears of _joy_. She wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of her life with him and this was finally the moment where she could. The corner of her lips curved into a soft smile as she watched him rise from his seat and slowly walk over to her where he knelt down on one knee.

Jack stared lovingly into her eyes and smiled as he softly brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. A few moments have passed by before he proceeded. "I never thought I'd ever meet a woman like you," he began. "You still have that fire inside you and I know that I won't ever see it burn out. Rose, you are everything to me and more . . . I know I have said this already, but I _love_ you . . . I am _in_ love with you. I have never felt this way towards any other woman in my life. You are special to me and I don't ever want to let you go. So I would like to ask you a very important question that would forever change the both of our lives. I am not forcing you to accept; I'm not Cal and by God I know that I never will be. I am speaking straight from my heart and every word that I have said is one hundred percent true and I know you know that. Rose . . . I _need_ you. I am nothing without you and I could only hope that you can forgive me for not being there for you in the past few weeks. I promise you with everything that I have that that will never happen again. I was stupid for having done that and I promise to make it up to you." He paused briefly while he stared into her eyes a moment longer before he slipped his free hand into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. The corner of his lips curved into a hopeful smile as he revealed the ring to her. "Will you marry me?"

Rose looked down at the ring, knowing that it was by far the most beautiful piece of jewelry she had ever laid eyes on. It was not as extravagant as the ring Cal had given her but she could care less. She smiled softly while tears were beginning to slip down her cheeks. She kept looking back and forth from the ring to Jack until her gaze finally fell upon his eyes. Again, she could not muster up the courage to speak for she was much too stunned; she knew Jack to be the type of man that would not settle down until he has seen the world but here he was, asking her to spend the rest of her days with him. She instantly knew her answer — even before he managed to ask her — yet, she found it difficult to say it. She covered her mouth in complete surprise and felt more tears trickle down her face while her eyes fell upon his piercing blue orbs that glimmered with pure love and passion. It was not until a few short moments later when she finally found her voice.

"_Yes_," she whispered through her sudden rush of tears. "Yes, Jack . . . I will."

It took Jack a moment to fully comprehend her response. At first, he thought it had come for the depths of his imagination but when he looked into her eyes, he saw love reflecting through them which gave him the reassurance that what he heard was real. Tears of joy were beginning to brim at the corner of his eyes as he reached his hand over and softly caressed her face. His smile brightened with happiness when he finally got up from his kneeling position and kissed her passionately, not caring if anybody saw them or not. He threaded his fingers through her loose curls and pulled away a moment later so that he could stare into her eyes once more. A tender smile has spread across his face as he crouched down before her and carefully removed the ring from the tiny box. He placed the box on the tabletop and spent the next few seconds admiring the piece of jewelry before he looked up to find tears sliding down her face. He then leaned over and kissed her tears away as she wrapped her arms around him, bringing him into a loving embrace. When he finally managed to pull away, he showed her the ring and urging her to read the engraved words within the band. It had taken her a second or two to finally realize what he meant and looked to find the words '_You jump, I jump_' inscribed inside the ring.

"It's beautiful," she breathed as she looked up to find him grinning.

"I thought it fit best with all that we've been through together in the past," he began. "And what we will go through in the future. I'll always be there for you, Rose. I promise you that."

"I love you," she mouthed before she leaned down and kissed him with every ounce of passion she had lingering with her soul.

Shortly after they have pulled apart from each other, Jack took her left hand and carefully slipped the ring onto her finger, finding that it was a perfect fit. His gaze fell upon hers while he slowly brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, knowing that from this moment on she would always be beside him. His heart smiled upon the thought when he came to the realization that his lonely days were finally over.

"Congratulations," the two were slightly started upon the sudden voice and turned to find the manager of the restaurant standing behind them.

Jack instantly got up from his crouching position and casually slipped his hands into his trouser pockets. "Thank you," he managed to say with a grin on his face.

"This is a cause for a celebration!" he stated before he called out to his wife. "Anna, bring over the champagne!"

"Oh no, sir," Jack began to protest. "It's really not necessary."

"Nonsense, _mio amico_," he said with a beaming smile. "It's on the house. Really, it's not every day when someone gets engaged in Paolo's restaurant!"

Jack gave him a blushing grin and nodded his head briefly as he watched the chubby man walk over to his wife who had prepared the champagne for them.

"_Grazie, mia cara_," Paolo said to his wife before he turned to face the newly engaged couple. "Now you two lovebirds, sit down and enjoy yourselves while I pour you some champagne."

Jack kindly took his seat in front of Rose while Paolo poured the bubbly liquid into two tall glasses. "Thank you, sir," he said with a small smile. "I truly appreciate it."

"You're 'a very welcome," Paolo said. "It is truly a pleasure to have met such wonderful people!"

"Thank you," Jack responded. "I have to say the same for you, sir. You are too kind."

"Think nothing of it," he said, shrugging off the compliment. "You two deserve it. I will now go and leave you two alone."

Paolo gave them a slight bow before he headed off into the back room of the restaurant. There were only a few extra people lingering about and they all sent their congratulations to the couple. Moments later, silence lingered within the air as Jack and Rose stared deeply into each other's eyes.

"Shall we propose a toast?" Rose asked, shortly after.

Jack grinned and raised his glass to her. "To _our_ future together," he said softly.

"To our future," she repeated while she gently clinked her glass against his.

Their eyes remained glued to each other before they took long, cherishing sips from their champagne. Jack then leaned over the table and kissed her tenderly before returning to his seat where he finished off his drink.

* * *

The stars twinkled brightly over Jack and Rose as they walked along the sidewalk, hand-in-hand. They have just left the restaurant nearly ten minutes ago and were now making their way back to the apartment. They kept silent as they listened to the beautiful sounds of nature that lingered around them. Soon after, a fresh cool breeze blew against them which caused for Rose to shiver. Jack instantly pulled her close and placed a loving kiss upon her forehead as they proceeded to walk along the sidewalk, realizing that they were only a few blocks away from their home. Not a lot of people were out this late in the night, which gave the two a chance to enjoy the peacefulness of the city. It was not until a few minutes later when the silence was finally broken.

"I got a job at a nearby café this afternoon," Rose began as she looked up at him. "I start tomorrow morning."

"That's great," he responded with a casual grin. "Which café is it?"

"Joe's Café," she replied. "It's about five blocks up from our apartment. I'll be working as a waitress there. I don't know how that will turn out since I've never worked in my entire life."

"I'm pretty sure you'll do fine," he reassured her. "There's always a first time for everything."

"True," she agreed. "With you, I have experienced a lot of my firsts. Some of which are rather embarrassing to think about."

"How so?" he asked, curiously.

"Well . . . the kiss at the bow . . . then the drawing . . . and the moment we shared in the Renault," she blushed upon the latter comment and smiled sheepishly. "I guess you taught me everything there is to know about life _and_ love."

Rose looked up at him and noticed, even in the dark, that his cheeks were turning a slight shade of red. She could not help but giggle upon the sight and leaned against him while they crossed the street that led them to the block in which their apartment was located in.

"Then I guess I could say that I was glad to have been your _teacher_ among those areas," he replied soon after with a blushing grin.

"Oh, so am I," she said as she stopped for a brief moment where she tip-toed up and lightly pressed her lips against his. "I love you."

He brushed his fingertips over her cheek and smiled tenderly upon noticing how beautifully her face glowed under the starlit sky. "As do I," he said with a bright gleam shining through his eyes while he leaned down to kiss her. Once their lips have parted, he placed a gentle kiss upon her forehead and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go," he softly muttered as he led her to their apartment, which had only been a few minutes away.

When they have finally reached their destination, Jack kindly reached over and pulled open the heavy entrance door while Rose stepped inside. Shortly after, he joined her and closed the door behind him. Almost instantly, he felt her cling onto him while a small glimmer of fear was shining through her eyes. Jack quickly followed her gaze and noticed a dark figure sitting behind the desk. Even in the dimly lit room, he could tell that it was their landlord and he certainly did not appreciate the way he was looking at Rose. Without wasting another second, Jack placed a protective arm over her shoulders and led her through the dark hallway in which their apartment was located in. He slipped his free hand into his trouser pockets and took out the brass key where he slipped it into the lock and gave it a firm twist before finally opening the door. After doing so, he allowed for Rose to step in ahead of him as he looked over to the direction in which they have just come from and muttered something incomprehensive under his breath. A split second later, he stepped into the apartment and locked the door behind him.

He instantly walked over to Rose and pulled her into his arms where he began to comfort her. "Don't worry," he said. "That man is not gonna lay one finger on you, I promise you that."

"I hate it when I'm alone," she whimpered within his loving embrace. "I'm constantly worrying that he might do something to me when you're not here."

"You are _not_ alone, Rose," he reassured her. "I'm here . . . I will _always_ be here to protect you."

Rose let out a shuddering breath and clung onto him even tighter. "I just want to move out of here," she whispered. "I can't stand being in the same building as that man."

He softly ran his fingers through her soft curls and kissed her forehead tenderly. "I won't let _anyone_ hurt you," he promised as he stared deeply into her eyes. "I swear on my life, Rose; nothing bad will ever happen to you. Not while I'm around."

She placed her hand over the nape of his neck and felt her heart flutter uncontrollably. Her eyes remained glued to his as a tiny smile managed to form at the corner of her lips before she leaned up to kiss him. Jack held her close to him and intensified the kiss more while his entire body began to shiver from the minor passion that was being shared between the two. When they finally managed to pull apart a few short moments later, they briefly looked into each other's eyes and held one another in a comforting embrace. Soon, they forgot all their troubles and focused on the love that was very much evident between them.

"You look tired," she said, shortly after as she softly brushed her fingers over his jaw.

"I'm exhausted," he admitted with a slight grin. "I haven't really slept much since I started that job."

"Well, I guess we should both retire for the night," she said. "It is getting rather late."

Jack looked out at the bare window that was placed beside the bookshelf and nodded in agreement. "You're right," he said. "And you do have that job to go to tomorrow."

"Yes," she responded. "And I certainly do not wish to be late on my first day."

"Of course not," he smiled tenderly and leaned down to kiss her on her forehead. "Good night, my love." Right when he was about ready to step into the tiny bedroom, he paused and turned back around to face her. "Would you like to join me?"

Rose automatically felt her heart skip a beat upon his sudden request. Surely, she did not mind the thought of having to sleep beside him _or_ making love with him; she just wanted to _save_ that intimate moment for their upcoming wedding night. She looked over at him with a shy smile as she mustered up the courage to speak.

"Um, sure," she said rather nervously. "But I hope you're not intending on doing something sensual because I kind of am hoping to save that until after we get married."

"Oh, no," he said with a chuckle. "I'm not gonna do anything, I promise. I just want you to be beside me, that's all."

"Okay, I just wanted to make sure," she said. "I'm sorry if that came out rather rude . . . I just want our second time to be romantic."

"Not at all," he said, smiling. "I understand perfectly."

Rose grinned in return and walked over to him. "I'm glad," she stated before placing a tender kiss upon his cheek.

Shortly after that, the two lovers stepped into the bedroom and began to ready themselves for bed. Rose discreetly slipped her diary into the top drawer of the dresser and walked over to the shopping bag where she pulled out her waitress uniform and went to drape it over the wooden chair that was placed beside the small nightstand. Once she did so, she walked back over to the dresser and took out one of the nightgowns she has received from her good neighbor, Gabriella. She then excused herself and slipped into the parlor room where she quickly changed her attire and headed back into the bedroom to find Jack lying on the mattress wearing only his trousers.

"Well, I guess you have made yourself perfectly comfortable without me," she teased as she dropped the dress she wore previously on the floor beside the dresser. "I wonder if there is any room left for me."

"Nonsense," he said while he scooted over to the opposite side of the mattress. "There's always room for you."

Rose gave him a tired smile and she made her way over to the mattress as she laid herself down next to him. A moment later, his arm wrapped around her where he held her close to him, not making a move to let go.

"This is so comforting," she whispered while her eyes slowly began to close.

"Mmmhmm," he murmured before setting his chin over her mass of red curls. "Very."

"Good night, Jack," Rose said as intertwined her fingers through his.

"Good night," he muttered before letting out a fairly audible yawn and finally closing his eyes.

Almost instantaneously, the two lovers began to drift off into their dreamland as they lay in the comfort of each other's arms.


	6. First Day on the Job

**Disclaimer**: As usual, I do not own anything _Titanic_. Happy reading!

* * *

**Chapter Six**

_First Day on the Job_

May, 5, 1912

_Millions of stars were shining over the dark velvet sky as over a thousand people were left floating on the freezing depths of the North Atlantic__; the majority were already dead while there were still others barely surviving. Rose was lying on a piece of driftwood __and__ clutched onto Jack's hand __while she__ softly sang 'their' song. She seemed completely oblivious to the world surrounding her until she felt a beaming light hit the side of her face.__ She turned to face the direction in which it came from and caught sight of __a__ lifeboat searching for survivors._

_A tiny smile formed at the corner of her lips __as__ she reached over and gently shook his arm, hoping to wake him from his slumber. Not even a second later, she turned to face him and noticed just how peaceful he looked when he was asleep; she was almost hesitant on waking him but knew that she had no other choice._

_"Jack," she whispered with a tender smile._

_There was no response. Rose took a quick look over at the lifeboat and found that it was rowing closer to where they were. She instantly turned her attention to Jack and proceeded to call out to him._

_"Jack," she repeated, slightly louder than before.__ She glanced down at him and realized that he was not moving. "Jack, there's a boat . . ." a hint of hope __was heard__ in her voice, soon followed by a twinge of worry. "Jack . . . Jack," tears were blurring her vision and pretty soon, she felt one slide down her cheek. __Her__ heart __began to __break in two when the realization finally hit her hard; he was not waking up. Even so, she continued to call out to him. "Jack . . . JACK . . . Jack . . . there's a boat, Jack . . . Jack?"_

_She stared down at his peaceful face, knowing that she would never __look into those beautiful blue eyes again. She took a quick glance over at the lifeboat and found that it was now rowing farther away from her, thus making Rose lose any ounce of hope she once had in being rescued. She let out a silent sob and gently rested her head over their clutched hands __while she__ closed her eyes, ready to join him in the afterworld._

_Not even a moment has passed when her eyes suddenly shot open, having just remembered her promise to him. However, upon lifting her head, she noticed that everything around her disappeared — including Jack. She was standing in an empty white room which no means of escape to it. Her breathing became heavy as she looked around in a panic, wanting to find a way out. All of a sudden, the room began filling up with hundreds of people who automatically began murmuring incomprehensive words to one another while there were others crying, screaming, and laughing which brought total chaos to the crowded room. Rose kept on looking around, desperately trying to find a way out while she started to call out to the one person who brought her total comfort._

_"Jack!"_

_Her voice seemed to have bounced off the walls in a low echo and the crowd kept on growing bigger; no one seemed to have noticed her, which made Rose feel all the more isolated and claustrophobic._

_"Jack! Where are you?"_

_Once again, her voice echoed. She looked around her and noticed that every single person was engaged into a deep conversation while the rest of the crowd proceeded to make any ounce of noise that would come out of their mouths. Rose felt as if they did not hear her, despite her constant screaming.__ She was literally standing in the middle of a crowded room, screaming and crying, yet no one looked and no one cared — or even noticed her. Tears__ were streaming down her face when__ she fell to the floor and sobbed in agony; she wanted him to save her like he did so many times before, but she was left alone accompanied only by her pessimistic thoughts and a broken heart. She looked up at the ceiling and mustered up enough strength scream __as__ the walls were beginning to close in on her._

_"JACK!"_

_

* * *

_

"Jack . . . no, please, Jack . . ." tears were sliding down her cheeks, yet her eyes were still closed. She kept on tossing and turning under Jack's tender embrace while her breathing became irregular. "Jack, where are you? Jack? Jack!"

Jack let out a slight groan and opened his eyes when he felt Rose squirming in his arms. He heard her constantly call out his name and asking where he was, when he clearly was beside her. He sat up a bit and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before he reached over and attempted to wake her.

"Rose," he mumbled as he watched more tears slip down her cheeks; he could not bear to see her cry, even in this time of night. "Rose, I'm right here . . ." his voice became stronger after a few moments while he gave her another gentle, yet firm shake. "Rose, wake up!"

Despite his efforts, she continued to call his name out in despair, which only caused for him to become even more worried than he already was.

"Rose," he said a little louder than before while he reached his hand over and softly caressed her cheek.

The sound of his voice finally caused for her to awaken from her horrible nightmare. She instantly sat upright and let out a startled gasp as she placed her trembling hands over her sweaty forehead. Her heart was beating so fast that she was beginning to think it would burst within any given moment. A glimmer of fear was shining through her eyes when she turned to face the man who sat beside her. The fear that overcame her emotions earlier soon vanished and was replaced by the glow of relief.

"Jack," she whispered while she gently caressed his face. "You're here . . ."

"Of course I'm here," Jack said, partly confused. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know," she admitted before she lowered her head. "I guess it all was just a nightmare."

Jack instantly pulled her into his arms and threaded his fingers through her soft curls. "Don't worry," he breathed with tenderness. "Everything's all right now."

Rose clutched onto his shirt and listened to the sound of his heart beating, which managed to comfort her from her sudden fright. She felt a few tears roll down her tears when she lifted her head and stared into his piercing blue eyes, knowing that she was lucky to have him in her life. She traced the outline of his jaw with her finger before leaning over to kiss him. When they pulled apart a moment later, she lightly pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes, wanting to cherish this precious moment for as long as she possibly could.

"Are you okay?" he asked after they spent the past several moments in silence.

She mustered up a smile and nodded her head in reassurance. "Yes, I'm better now," she said. "Thank you."

He smiled tenderly while he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I love you," he said.

"I love you too," she whispered as she leaned against his embrace and kept her arms wrapped around him. "More than you could possibly know."

He pulled back slightly and lifted her chin so that he could gaze into her eyes before he gave her yet another kiss that filled both of their hearts with immense passion. Momentarily, the two broke from their kiss and held each other into a loving embrace where they soon feel into a dreamless slumber, waiting for the new day to begin.

* * *

The sunshine crept through the window of the small bedroom and gleamed over the two lovers that slept on the worn out mattress. It was only a matter of moments when Rose finally awoke from her slumber, shielding her eyes from the bright sunrays. Once she managed to get her vision focused, she turned and found that the love of her life was still fast asleep. She gently brushed her fingertips over his cheek while the corner of her lips curved into a soft smile. She spent the next five minutes lying in bed before she finally got up and took her waitress uniform, knowing that she has to leave for work within the next hour. She also grabbed a few other necessities before she stepped out of the bedroom and quietly left the apartment where she made her way into the bathroom.

She instantly locked the door behind her and draped her clothes over the small stool that was placed at the side as she began to prepare her morning bath. She spent the next fifteen minutes cleansing herself before she got out and dressed herself into the uniform, finding that it fit perfectly. She smoothed out the skirt of her dress and gazed at her reflection in the mirror while a twinge of nervousness glimmered over her green-blue eyes.

Today was her very first day working and she really did not want to mess anything up. She had to prove to herself that she could survive in this life, even if it was the complete opposite of what she was so used to. She did not want to be treated as if she were a child, incapable of doing anything but obeying orders; she had more to live for than just by constantly looking beautiful. She had stronger ambitions to reach for that her past life would not allow. She wanted to see the world, to live life as it should be lived, and to finally accomplish her dream of becoming an actress. Before, all that seemed so far away but now, thanks to Jack, all she had wished for in her past life could possibly come true.

She picked up her brush and began running the teeth through her hair, smoothing out her tousled curls. Once she was through, she set the brush down and began to apply a touch of color to her lips. Nearly five minutes has passed by when she finally finished and after having made sure that everything was properly set, she grabbed her things and opened up the bathroom door. She then noticed that someone waited rather impatiently and stared down at her with annoyance. Rose gave him a shy smile and brushed past him where she rushed into her apartment and closed the door behind her. She let out a sigh and walked into the bedroom where she tossed her things on the chair before she slipped into her work shoes.

Rose then walked over to the dresser and ripped out a sheet from a small notepad that was placed in the top drawer. She grabbed a pen and began to scribble down a quick message before she headed over to Jack and placed it beside him so that he would see it when he awakes. Shortly after that, she slipped out of the bedroom and left the apartment while she began walking directly over to Joe's Café. She could already feel her heart pounding with every step she took and only hoped that her first day would pass by smoothly.

* * *

It has been approximately ten minutes since Rose first left the apartment. Her previous worries concerning her first day working were soon forgotten when thoughts of becoming Jack's wife began to fill her mind. Nothing could possibly make her any more happier than she was, knowing that she would get the chance to spend the rest of her life with the one man she truly loved. She took a quick glance down at her left hand and caught a glimmer from the tiny diamonds that decorated the ring beautifully. It was a simple ring, but one she treasured with her life. The engagement ring Cal had given her was highly extravagant and possibly one of the most expensive rings he could find. It never did impress her; it only gave her a daily reminder that she was to step into eternal misery by becoming Caledon Hockley's wife; thankfully, all that has changed when she first met Jack.

She was so engrossed within her thoughts that she nearly missed the café. She casually walked over to the entrance door and pulled it open where she found that the small café was empty, aside from the other waitress who also worked here. She checked the clock that hung over the wall and found that it was approximately a quarter to nine in the morning. She let out a confident sigh and finally stepped in as she made her way over to Joseph's office and gave the door a few swift knocks.

"Come in!" came Joseph's muffled voice from the opposite side of the door.

Rose reached her hand over and gave the doorknob a firm twist before pushing the door open, revealing her new boss who sat behind a desk cluttered with piles of paperwork.

"Rose," Joseph greeted with a beaming smile. "It's so nice to see you. Please, do come in."

She did as he said and smiled shyly. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything," she said.

"Oh, no, of course not," he reassured her.

"Good," she said, smiling. "Um, I was wondering . . . where should I begin?"

"Oh . . . well, all you have to do is simply take the customer's orders and give them to Sylvia," he said. "She will take care of it."

"All right," she said with a brief nod. "Is there anything else?"

"Sylvia will be sure to tell you whatever you need to know," he said.

"Thank you, Mr. Calvert," she smiled politely while she tucked a loose curl behind her ear.

"No need to be formal with me, Rose," he said. "Please, just call me Joe; everyone else does. Besides, Mr. Calvert is my father."

"All right, Joe," she said.

"Good," he said. "Well, you run along now. I'll be here if you need me."

"Okay," she smiled casually and walked over to the door. "Thank you."

After having said that, she stepped out of the office and closed the door behind her. She then made her way over to the counter and found that the woman she saw earlier has just finished cleaning out the counter.

Upon having noticed her presence, the woman tossed the cloth in the sink and smiled at her. "Hello," she said. "I'm Sylvia Watson."

"Rose," she said as she shook her hand in greeting. "Rose Dawson."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Rose," Sylvia replied with a grin.

Sylvia appeared to have been around her age or possibly a year older. The beautiful brunette stood to be around the same height as her and even had the same wild curls that she did. By having gazed into her warm brown eyes, Rose automatically knew that this was a beginning of a brand new friendship.

"Same here," she said, smiling.

"Well, the customers aren't going to arrive until another hour or so," Sylvia began. "Would you mind helping me clean out the tables? I sure could use a second hand."

"Of course," Rose said as she walked over to the sink where she retrieved a damp cloth. "That's what I'm here for, isn't it?"

Sylvia just smiled and continued on with her line of work. Rose, on the other hand, walked over to the set of tables that were available and began wiping the small hint of dust off of the surface. As she was doing so, her thoughts drifted off into another world. She was still rather amazed on how quick her life has changed from the moment she first boarded the _Titanic_. She started off as a rich debutante who was engaged to one of the most eligible bachelors in all of Philadelphia, only to end up becoming a part of the lower class who was engaged to the man she loved the most. She knew that if her Mother saw her right now, she would be incredibly appalled. Her Mother would never understand her reason for choosing this life and most definitely, she would not accept it. All her Mother cared for was financial security; she was born and raised in a rich family. She simply did not have the strength or the willpower to live in a life that was below the upper class status. Rose could only hope for the best when it came to her Mother because she knew that Cal would not support her for long; it would only be a matter of time when he would kick her out in the streets.

Rose instantly shook the thought out of her mind and concentrated more on cleaning out the tables. Upon doing so, she caught sight of her engagement ring and could barely resist the smile that was glowing on her face. Her life was finally taking the path she had wanted to follow throughout her whole life. This time, no one would be able to alter her direction; not her Mother and definitely not Cal. She was going to marry Jack and spend every waking moment with him. She was going to fulfill her longtime dream of becoming an actress and maybe someday, she was going to be the Mother to Jack's children. After having spent the past seventeen years under her Mother's control, she was finally capable of controlling her own life. She no longer had to attend boring social parties where she would be forced to have mindless chatter amongst people who cared about nothing but themselves. There was no longer a need for her to constantly look pretty or have maids attend to her every need; she was capable of taking care of herself, just like every person should be.

Jack taught her how precious life can be and how every moment should be treasured as if it were her last. She found happiness through him and most of all, she gained love. He was her reason for living and her determination in surviving in this lifestyle. Had she not met him, she probably would still be a miserable woman, forced to spend the rest of her days with a man she did not love. Luckily, fate brought them together and now she could see a clear future with Jack. He made her feel as if she could accomplish anything and it was something she has never felt before; he was her true inspiration in life and no one was capable of taking that away from her.


	7. A Guilty Conscience

**Disclaimer**: I am not the owner of the magnificent movie that we all love and have loved for years. I am not the genius who came up with such a great love story, nor am I making any money out of writing this story. I am simply spreading my love for this movie to the rest of the fans all across the world, and I do hope that wherever you are, you are enjoying my story and will continue to love and appreciate _Titanic_ in all the years to come.

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**Chapter Seven**

_A Guilty Conscience_

May, 5, 1912

Jack let out a fairly audible yawn as he felt the bright sunshine pour into the tiny bedroom, finally waking him up from his long slumber. He rubbed the remaining sleep out of his eyes and turned to give his love a morning kiss, only to find the spot empty. He sat up and briefly examined the room before he came to the conclusion that he was alone. He didn't even hear any noise coming from the next room so he was certain she wasn't here. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stretched as he found a note lying on the nightstand. A smile instantly curved upon his lips when he recognized the handwriting. He reached over and picked up the piece of paper before reading the message she wrote for him:

_Dearest Jack,_

_I could not have the heart to wake you so I decided to leave this message, saying that I'm off to work. I probably won't be back until late this afternoon so feel free to stop by Joe's Café if you wish. I made you some breakfast before I left; it's in the oven. I'll see you later, my darling. I love you._

_Rose_

A heartwarming sensation flowed throughout his body as he read the words. He placed the piece of paper back on the nightstand before he got up and went to the bathroom so that he could freshen up. Once he finished, he headed back to the apartment and got his breakfast out of the oven. He brought it into the living room and set it down on the small coffee table where he began munching on some toast as he looked around the room, finding that it was fairly clean opposed to the first time he saw this apartment. His eyes suddenly caught sight of a newspaper that was lying in one of the empty bookshelves at the opposite side of the room. He dropped his toast on the plate and got up to retrieve it. He brought it back to the sofa and took a glance at the front page. He clenched his jaw as he read the headline.

_The Greatest Ocean Liner Meets Her Doom on the Fifteenth of April_

He felt tears well up in his eyes when he saw a picture of the alleged 'unsinkable' ship. Tragic memories began to flood his mind. Jack hid his fears when it all happened because he wanted to be brave for Rose. He didn't want her to see him break down. Now, his emotions were beginning to break loose and he couldn't bear to keep it locked away anymore. He threw the paper down on the floor as he felt tears slipping down his face. He leaned his elbows on his knees and clutched onto the strands of his hair while he thought of how drastically his life has changed since he boarded the _Titanic_. He knew that if it weren't for Rose, he would not be breathing right now. He would not have gone as far as he did after the ship sank if Rose had not gone down to save him. She was the reason why he was more than willing to risk his life for her to live and why he also fought hard to survive, even though for him, it was close to impossible. Unlike the thousands who perished that night, he was extremely lucky to have survived.

His thoughts suddenly drifted off to his best friend, Fabrizio. He was like a brother to him; a brother he never had. The only goal he seemed to have was to go to America and start a new life. Jack had _promised_ him that he would take him there someday and he broke that promise. Jack had taken the one and only dream Fabrizio had since they met. He sent his best friend to his early grave. He did not deserve to die so young. He soon regretted having told him to go to the other side of the ship with Tommy. If he could take that back, he would — in a heartbeat.

_Great, now you're blaming Rose for Fabri's death_, his mind scolded. _What's wrong with you? It's not her fault; it's _your_ fault, so deal with it. _You_ killed your best friend. _You_ killed Fabrizio_.

"I killed him . . ." he murmured as he felt his heart tighten with guilt. "I killed Fabri . . ." Jack pressed his clenched fists against his eyes and cried tears of anguish and remorse. "Oh God, Fabri . . . I'm so sorry . . ." his body shook against his heart wrenching sobs. "I didn't mean to do this to you . . . God, I'm sorry."

Droplets of his grief continued to slide down his cheeks as his sobs echoed throughout the small apartment. Nothing hurt him more than losing a person who was close to him. First, it had been his parents and now it was his best friend, Fabrizio. To make matters worse, he almost lost Rose. Maybe not to death, but the thought of never seeing her again seemed to be more worse than death itself. He also thought of that Irish fellow he met on the ship. Tommy Ryan. He had a good sense of humor and also had a dream. It felt like every person that was close to him had been sacrificed. His parents died because of him. Fabrizio and Tommy died because of him. He almost lost Rose because of him.

It was _his_ fault.

Jack squeezed his eyes shut in attempt to block out the guilt that was eating at his soul only to see images of his best friend and the memories they had together from way before they ever boarded the _Titanic_. The more he thought about it the more angry he became at himself.

"Why? Why'd you have to die?" he asked, his voice cracked against his tears. "You'd be alive right now if I hadn't met you . . ."

_Of course he'd be alive right now. What do you expect? You killed your best friend — the only close thing you had after your parents died. Jesus, Jack . . . who are you going to kill next, Rose? Sure enough, you're going to end up putting her in danger. Then what? You'll have nothing. Save her before you kill her. She's not safe with you here._

Jack's breathing grew heavy as he thought of what he should do. He was constantly reminded of his guilt and the pain was eating at him slowly, making him suffer with every breath he took. Maybe his conscience was right. Maybe he would end up putting his Rose in danger. He couldn't take the risk. His parents died because of his ignorance and Fabrizio would probably still be taking care of his mother if he had not encountered him. No matter what he did, he ended up hurting those he cared about.

"I can't do this to her," he whispered to himself as he glanced around the apartment and knew what he had to do. _I have to leave — leave to save her_. "I'm sorry, Rose . . ."

He was about to get up when he caught sight of Rose's picture at the bottom of the front page. He leaned down and picked it up, taking a closer look at the photo. She wore an elegant gown and kept a forced smile on her face as the man next to her — none other than that bastard of a fiancé, Caledon Hockley — placed an arm around her shoulder. He remained focused on his Rose and held the tears back for it hurt him so much to leave her. Either way, he knew it was all for her own good. She would be much safer without him.

_After all, she did promise to move on_, he reminded himself. _She's a strong woman; I know she will survive_.

He got up and went to get a piece of paper from the bedroom where he scribbled Rose a note and placed it on the coffee table before he left the apartment, for good.

* * *

Rose has just finished serving her tenth customer as she was getting ready to go on her lunch break. She waited for a few moments until Sylvia was ready to take over. Rose took a few dollars from her tip jar and left the café to go get something decent to eat at a nearby casual restaurant. She ordered a plate of spaghetti covered in tomato sauce, along with a cup of water. She spent the next few minutes devouring her lunch before she paid off her meal and left to go for a short walk. She needed some fresh air to clear her mind. All morning, she had this eerie feeling deep inside her stomach that told her something was not right. She was walking toward the café and found a bench placed in front of it. Feeling a bit woozy, she took a seat and placed a trembling hand against her forehead as she closed her eyes and took in a few breaths of air.

_Something's not right_, she thought to herself. _I just know it._

Rose was suddenly interrupted from her thoughts when Sylvia stepped out to remind her that her lunch break was now over. Rose got up and went back into the café to resume her shift. She tried putting her thoughts aside for the time being and promised to get back to her worries after work.

Rose stood behind the counter and tried putting her full focus on her task of cleaning when she suddenly felt someone's eyes on her. It wasn't just _anyone_ — it was him. She was certain. She had the same feeling fluttering through her stomach when she first looked in his eyes merely weeks ago. She looked up but found no one there.

_I felt him watching me_, she mused while a sense of confusion was etched on her features. _I know it was him_.

She spent a few moments staring at the window before she finally decided to go back to work. Something was not right and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't help but worry. The clock was ticking and all she could do was wait for the day to be over.

* * *

Jack leaned against the wall and closed his eyes in attempt to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill. The sob that rested at the edge of his throat was begging to be released but with a final swallow, he prevented it from escaping. He felt his heart ache when he looked at her. She was his angel; a beauty who was his fiancé. She has earned his love in every way possible. He couldn't imagine loving anyone else more than he could ever love his Rose. She was his life and for that reason, he had to leave — leave to protect her from himself. It was all for the best — or so he thought.

As difficult as it was, Jack finally found the courage to walk away. The further he walked, the more painful it became. His heart was heavy with guilt as tears brimmed at the corner of his eyes. His mind was filled with thoughts on what he was doing and he came to the conclusion that he was escaping. Escaping from what? From the guilt and regret that he was trying to avoid. Jack continued to fight back his tears; the last thing he wanted to do was let his emotions take over. He had to be strong. This was not the time to cry.

Nearly a half hour passed and Jack never stopped walking. Pretty soon, he felt a strong sense of exhaustion take over his body that he had no choice but to stop and take a rest. He sat down on a nearby bench and covered his face as his body began to shake against his heart wrenching sobs, which he managed to keep muffled and quiet. His blonde hair fluttered against the strength of the wind while chills began crawling up his spine.

_What am I doing? I can't live without her_, he thought to himself as tears continued to spill down his cheeks.

_You'll put her in danger if you go back_, his mind argued. _She's safer without you. You're just going to have to get over it._

The tiny bit of optimism he had died when his guilt took over. He hadn't felt like this since his parents died. He learned how to move on; at that moment in time, he couldn't waste his life by constantly mourning over them. But this was different. No matter how hard he tried to forget his guilt, it kept relapsing and beating him down until he could no longer take the pain. He sat on that bench and shed tears of guilt as he glanced up at the darkening sky. The setting sun told him that it couldn't be past six yet and by then, he knew that Rose was already home.


	8. A Broken Rose

**Disclaimer**: I am not James Cameron, therefore, I do not own anything relating to _Titanic_. I am not that lucky.

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**Chapter Eight**

_A Broken Rose_

May, 5, 1912

Rose stepped into the apartment and felt her heart pound vigorously against her chest as she shut the door behind her. She stood still for a few brief moments and took a quick glance around the room, finding it empty. Her first day at work had not been an easy one. No matter how hard she tried, she just could not shake the eerie feeling that something was wrong. Her ruby red lips were firmly pressed together while her breathing level increased.

"Jack?" Rose's voice echoed through the empty room. "Jack, are you home?"

There was no response.

_Okay, don't panic_, she thought to herself as she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. _He might still be sleeping._

Rose headed directly over to the small bedroom and pushed the door open. Her heart sank when she found it was also empty.

"Jack?" she called out again while she stepped out of the bedroom and stood in the middle of the parlor room, trying to figure out where Jack could have gone. She looked down at the coffee table and found a note resting on its surface. Curiosity struck her as she went to the table and picked up the piece of paper which had the familiar handwriting scribbled onto it. She sat down and read the note; the contents of it slowly tearing her heart apart.

_Dearest Rose,_

_I am truly sorry for doing this to you — believe me, I am — but I have no other choice. Please don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault at all. I love you and you know that. I just can't bear to put you in any danger — not after all that we've been through. Please, forgive me. This is for the best. You are safer without me._

_Love yours,_

_Jack_

_P.S. Never let go of that promise — no matter what. Make it count. I love you and I always will._

Rose reread the note several times, wondering what Jack meant by his words._ What does he mean? Why is he apologizing; he hasn't done anything wrong._

"Jack . . ." Rose's voice was weak. "Why?"

_You promised me_, she thought bitterly as she crumpled the note in her clenched fist. _You promised me that you wouldn't leave me and you did anyway . . . YOU broke your promise, Jack . . . so why should I keep yours?_

_Because you love him_, her mind argued. "I love him . . ." Rose muttered in deep certainty as tears rolled down her pale cheeks.

She attempted to hold back a sob but the effort caused for her to cry even harder. She glanced down at the crumpled piece of paper and straightened it out where she reread its words several times more. The more she read it, the more her heart broke. She laid herself down on the lumpy sofa and stared off into space while her tears continuously fell from her face, leaving a cold trail down her alabaster skin. Why did he leave? What made him leave? They have been through so much together and after all this time, he abandons her. He was her rock. He helped her cope with the tragedy they have been forced to face. She loved him and sacrificed so much for him. Why would he leave her now? She felt helpless and hurt. All she wanted was to be in his arms and more than anything, she wanted him back. She just wanted her Jack to come back to her.

* * *

Jack felt himself shiver against the cold wind as he looked around, noticing silhouettes of buildings going along the length of the block. The sun has long since set and the only source of light he had was the street lamp that was placed merely five feet away. The wind was picking up and Jack pulled his jacket closer as he heard a loud thundering clap not too far off from where he was. He felt a few raindrops sprinkle against his body until it suddenly began to pour. A pang of guilt ran through his body when he thought of his Rose. He was starting to regret leaving her.

_You're such an idiot_, he thought to himself as he leaned his head against the hard bench. _She's probably heartbroken now, thanks to you. You say your reason for leaving was because of the guilt and regret — you wanted to escape from them, is that right? Well, buddy, what are you feeling right now? You're back right where you started. Life is full of guilt and regrets — you just have to deal with it. Whatever happened to your famous motto 'make each day count', huh?_ Jack's eyes fell to the ground while tears began to well up in his eyes. _Not to mention that you broke YOUR promise to Rose. You promised to never leave her and you did JUST that. Here you are, sitting out here all alone while Rose is home, probably angry at you for having betrayed her. Who could blame her? She loves you and you just abandoned her. How would YOU feel? I guess you failed her this time, Jack. After all the efforts in saving her from a world she hated, you bring her to your world with a broken promise. Nice job, Dawson._

"I shouldn't have left . . ." Jack breathed out, his voice hoarse from the cold. "Oh God, what have I done?"

Jack left only to avoid hurting her but he didn't realize, until now, that he has already done so by leaving. She gave everything up to be with him — she even jumped back on a sinking ship from the safety of a lifeboat just so she could spend every passing moment with him. How could he have been so foolish? He let his subconscious take over the best of him and now, even more than before, he regretted his actions.

"God, I'm a fucking idiot," he muttered through clenched teeth as the rain continued to pour.

He felt like a complete fool for doing what he did. He loved her — more than he loved his own life. She sparked something deep inside him the moment their eyes met and electricity passed through his body as he placed his hand in hers that night at the stern of the _Titanic_. It was then when he knew for certain that they were meant for each other.

The cold drops of rain continued to pound against Jack's body, proceeding to wet him even more. The wind blew the rain in a diagonal direction and it didn't seem like it was going to stop anytime soon. He got up and walked toward the grocery store right across from where he was a moment ago. He leaned against the brick wall and sank down to the floor, feeling slightly warmer than he was in the rain. He shivered violently against the bitter cold but he tried his best to ignore it. He spent more than ten minutes sitting there, trying to fall asleep — a task which proved to be difficult. It wasn't until a half hour later when he finally let himself fall into a troubled sleep.

* * *

Rose sat down on the sofa and stared down at the wrinkled note she held in her hand.

_I am truly sorry for doing this to you — believe me, I am — but I have no other choice._

She couldn't tear her eyes away from those words. She must have read that line a million times and even so, she still didn't understand what he meant by it.

_What does he mean by not having any choice? Why would he leave me here? _What_ made him leave me?_

A few tears rolled down her cheeks as she leaned over and tossed the note on the coffee table. She sat there in silence, trying to figure out his reason for leaving but nothing seemed plausible. It just didn't make any sense. After a while, her eyelids were starting to droop in exhaustion. She was too worried and too heartbroken to sleep but even so, her body was willing her to. She got up and walked toward the bedroom where she pulled out a nightgown, along with a towel and a hairbrush, and went to wash up in the bathroom across the hall. She dried herself off once she was finished and dressed into the gown before running the soft brush through her damp curls. She noticed how pale her face was while her eyes glistened with tears of sadness and anger. A few moments passed by when she finally broke out of her trance. She took in a deep breath and marinated a decent composure as she gathered up her clothes and left, noticing that a man was waiting by the door. He was tall, handsome, and had a beautiful pair of green-blue eyes. He seemed well-built and muscular with a head full of chocolate brown hair.

"I-I'm sorry," Rose managed to say after she nearly bumped into him. "I didn't see you."

"Quite all right, Miss," he said with a thick accent.

Rose just nodded and brushed past him, disappearing into her apartment before shutting the door behind her. She leaned her head against the door and shut her eyes while a few sobs escaped from her throat.

"Oh God, Jack . . . where are you?"


	9. A Dreaded Loneliness

**Disclaimer**: I am not James Cameron. I do not own anything associated with the film. I am simply a fan who is keeping the fandom alive through writing this story. I hope you enjoy!

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**Chapter Nine**

_A Dreaded Loneliness_

May, 6, 1912

The stars began to fade when the sun slowly rose above the horizon, bringing natural light to the world while Jack still slept against the hard brick wall. His clothes were half dry from last night's rain and his hair slumped to one side as a soft snore escaped from his throat. The owner of the store was not satisfied when he saw him lying there so he kicked his feet, rudely awakening him from his slumber.

"Get lost," the owner snapped. "This isn't your bedroom."

Jack squinted against the harsh sunlight while he looked up at the chubby man who stood before him. "What?" his voice was barely above a whisper.

"I _said_ this isn't your bedroom," the owner repeated with pure annoyance. "Now get lost before I call the police on you for trespassing!"

Jack let out a sharp groan as he got up and dragged his feet away from the store. "Thanks for your courtesy, _sir_," Jack spat out sarcastically before walking up the block, his steps heavy and short. His eyelids were still drooping and he could still feel exhaustion creeping into his body but he fought a while longer to stay awake. He felt himself shiver against the morning breeze and he hugged himself while letting out a few sore coughs.

Jack ran his fingers through his slumped hair and glanced up at the morning sky, hoping to determine the time. He guessed it was somewhere around half past seven — it also explained why the grocery store owner found him there. He spent more than ten minutes walking and when he looked up at the street sign, he soon realized that he was only a couple of blocks away from the apartment building he and Rose shared.

Rose. How could he have done this to her? He left her without giving one hint to an explanation. How could he have the heart to hurt her after having promised to never abandon her? What was he thinking? He will never forgive himself if she doesn't take him back. Serves him right for having done what he did to her. If he were Rose, he wouldn't even take himself back. He let out a sigh of frustration while he continuously cursed himself for his stupidity.

He dragged his heavy boots along the sidewalk and forced his way up the block. Minutes later, he caught sight of that one building he managed to call home for the past few weeks. He coughed as he slowly made his way up to the front entrance. He took a moment to take his breath and leaned against the rusted door as he felt like he could collapse onto the ground right then and there and possibly sleep until the next century. He fought his exhaustion a while longer and pushed open the door which felt heavy against his limp arms. He peeked his head in and hoped that the landlord was not out there waiting but luckily, he wasn't. He breathed a sigh of relief and carefully shut the door behind him after he stepped inside. The hinges began to whine in protest and Jack clenched his teeth, hoping that the unpleasant noise hadn't woken anyone. He held his breath for a half a second longer and listened for any sort of noise but much to his relief, silence was all that answered him. He let out another sigh and slowly began to tip-toe toward his apartment door, cringing at every step he took for the floorboards beneath him began to creak in protest. Jack took cautious movements, praying that the soft noises wouldn't disturb anyone in the building — especially the landlord.

He heard nothing but silence on the other side of his apartment door. His heart began to pound with dread as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small brass key. He slipped the tiny piece of metal into the keyhole and gave it a gentle turn until he heard a soft, muffled click. He opened the door and took a peek inside, relieved to see that Rose was sound asleep on the sofa. He dropped the key back into his pocket and stepped inside, wincing against the sharp screech the door made when he turned to shut it. Not wanting to make any further noise, he bent down and removed his heavy boots which were still pretty damp from last night's rain.

Jack slowly made his way over to the sofa and knelt down beside her, admiring the beauty of the woman who stole his heart. How could he have ever thought of leaving her? She gave up everything to be with him and this is how he repays her?

"I'm sorry . . ." he whispered as he leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I'm so sorry."

He looked down and noticed that she was still holding onto the note. He carefully pulled it out of her grasp and crumpled it up. He made many mistakes in the past but this was one of the worst. He was determined to make it up to her, no matter what it took. He was not going to lose her now; especially not after everything they've been through.

His eyelids were getting heavier as he stumbled to the sofa and sat down on the floor. He rested his head on the small space beside her and drifted off into a troubled sleep.

* * *

The sunlight crept into the tiny apartment, luring Rose out of her dreamless slumber. She let out a low moan as she blocked the light from her eyes and turned her head to the side, wanting to go back to sleep. She closed her eyes and stretched her arms when she suddenly felt her hand brush against a thick mass of hair. A hint of confusion swept through her features as she looked down to find Jack sleeping soundly beside her.

"Jack?" her voice was barely above a whisper as she reached over and carefully brushed away the few strands of hair that fell over his eyes.

A part of her was relieved that he came back, but there was still that small part of her that was angry at him for having left in the first place. She thought back on his letter and remembered feeling hurt and betrayed as she read it; she could still feel the pain even now, and it really, really hurt.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted with Jack's rasping coughs, which startled him awake. He was shivering against the slight breeze that came from the window. A look of concern crossed her face as she knelt down beside him and placed a trembling hand over his forehead.

"You're burning up," she told him.

He struggled to keep his eyes open as he looked up at her, feeling as if he hadn't slept in days. "Rose?" he breathed out through his drowsiness.

"What were you thinking?" she asked through her tears.

"Oh, Rose . . ." his voice cracked because of the soreness in his throat. "I'm so . . ." he paused as another fit of coughs overtook him. "I'm so sorry."

"What made you leave, Jack?" she ignored his apology; she wanted answers. "After having nearly lost you . . . _why_ would you do that to me?"

Jack pulled himself onto the sofa and fought against the urge to cough. "I never meant to hurt you," he looked into her eyes before continuing. "I just thought it would've been best for me to leave."

She glanced back at him, confused and hurt. "Why?"

He avoided her gaze and stared off into space. "I thought you'd be much safer without me."

"What are you talking about?"

He sighed as he gathered up the courage to explain. "I read the newspaper while you were at work yesterday," he stopped and coughed a few times before he managed to continue. "Then I started thinking about how I pushed Fabri and Tommy to their deaths."

She scooted closer to him and placed a hand over his. "Jack, you shouldn't blame yourself for their deaths. It's not your fault."

"I know that . . ." he paused for a moment and blinked away his tears. "I just can't help thinking that if I didn't force them to go to the other side of the ship, they'd still be alive."

"Jack, listen to me," she turned his head toward her and forced him to look into her eyes. "It was that bloody ship that killed them, not you. It was all a terrible tragedy that will continue to haunt us for the rest of our lives. _Titanic_ is a part of us, now. If it weren't for that ship, we never would've met, and God knows how happy I am to have you in my life. Please don't torture yourself over something you had absolutely no control over. Many lives were lost that night, and we could cry all the tears we want and contemplate on the 'what-ifs', but in the end, the ship that was once known to be unsinkable lies on the bottom of the ocean. We just have to get through each and every day and make the most of it. After all, we only have one life to live, and I wouldn't want you spending the rest of your life feeling guilty over something you haven't done."

A tiny hint of a smile curved at the corner of his lips as he looked into her eyes, knowing that the fire in her soul was still burning strong. "You're right," his voice was hoarse from the sob that he was so desperately trying to hold back. He ran his fingers through her soft ruby curls and pulled her into his arms, cherishing the feel of her body against his. "God, I'm so sorry."

Rose let out a sigh of relief as she held him close, glad to have him back in her arms. "It's okay," she breathed into his ear. "Just . . . don't do it again."

"I won't . . ." he pulls away and coughs a few times. "I promise."

Rose noticed that his coughs were getting worse, and as if to prove her concern, Jack's body began to shake as his coughs continuously overtook him. It wasn't until about a half of an agonizing minute later when he finally stopped.

"Jack, you need to change out of those clothes," she said. "You're getting worse."

Jack could only nod as he struggled to stop coughing. Rose helped him up, but he could barely stand on his own two feet.

"I got you," she reassured him while they both staggered to the bedroom.

Once inside, she led him toward the bed where he laid down and started taking off his clothes. Rose went to the wardrobe and pulled out a fresh pair of pants and a shirt for Jack. After helping him change, she headed to the closet and took out a thick blanket, which she draped over his shivering body.

"I better call a doctor," she said.

"No," Jack said with a slight shake of his head. "I'm fine."

She gave him a skeptical look as he fought through yet another set of coughs. "Hmm, you really think so?"

He finally stopped coughing and laid back, defeated. "Okay, maybe not."

Rose smiled and bent over to kiss his forehead. "I'll be right back."

Jack could only moan in response as he pulled the blanket up to his chin and closed his eyes. Rose left the room and shut the door behind her. She didn't know how she would go about finding a doctor in this part of the city – and in such a short time, too, considering that she would have to head to work within the next hour and a half. She figured she'd ask the landlord, and if he didn't know any, she'd go ahead and ask a few of her neighbors; someone is bound to know whether there is a doctor near here, or not.

She stepped out into the hallway and headed toward the small lobby. The landlord wasn't at the front desk, so she went to the door marked 'landlord' and gave it a few quick knocks. She took a step back when the door was abruptly opened.

"What d'ya want?" the landlord demanded.

Rose gulped, but remained composed. "I'm sorry to bother you so early in the morning, sir, but I was wondering if you knew of any doctors in town," she waited for a few moments, but didn't receive any kind of response. "My fi- um, my husband has fallen ill, and I would feel a whole lot better if a doctor saw him. I just want to be sure that he's okay."

The man sighed as he leaned his head back, probably wishing that he was somewhere far away from here.

"There's one about two blocks up from here," he finally replied. "His place is the first one to the right. You can't miss him. His name's Dr. Nielson."

A sigh of relief escaped her lips. "Thank you so much, I really appreciate it."

"Yeah," he said before shutting the door.

She didn't really like the landlord. He was rude and insensitive, and could probably use a bath or two, but right now, none of that mattered. She had to get the doctor before she'd be late for work. She followed the directions the landlord gave her and came across a reddish-brown apartment building. She stepped through the front door and found a stocky middle-aged man walking down the steps.

"Excuse me, sir, does a Dr. Nielson reside here?"

"He most certainly does, ma'am," he offered her a smile.

"Do you happen to know which apartment he lives in? My husband has fallen ill —"

"No need to look any further, my dear. I'm Dr. Nielson. I was just about to head out for my morning walk."

"Oh," she paused for a moment. "I hope you wouldn't mind if . . ."

"Of course not. I'll go get my things."

Once Dr. Nielson got his medical bag in hand, Rose led him back to the apartment and into the bedroom, where Jack was coughing profusely. The doctor quickly checked him over and asked him a few questions before he set his things back in his back and looked to Rose.

"It appears that your husband has caught the flu."

Her breath caught in her throat. "Will he be all right?"

"As long as he rests and drinks lots of fluids, he should be fine," Dr. Nielson replied. "If he doesn't get better in the next few days, you come and get me, okay?"

Rose could only manage to nod as she looked over at Jack with a hint of concern flashing through her eyes. Her heart was pounding. She nearly lost him once; she couldn't bear the thought of nearly losing him again. She took in a deep breath and turned to the doctor.

"Well, I should get going," Dr. Nielson said after he packed his medical tools back into his bag. "It's been a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Dawson." He turned to Jack and offered a smile. "You should get as much rest as you can, Mr. Dawson. It's vital for your health."

A few coughs erupted through Jack before he could manage a hoarse response. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

"Good day," Dr. Nielson tipped his hat and walked off into the parlor room with Rose close behind.

"Thank you, Dr. Nielson," Rose said as she walked him to the door. "I really appreciate you coming in such a short notice."

"No need to thank me, luv," he said with a smile. "I'm just doing my job."

Rose returned the smile and opened the door for him. He tipped his hat to her one last time and walked down the hallway and out the front door. Rose breathed a sigh of relief and shut the door behind her. She placed a hand on her forehead and closed her eyes, trying to calm her rapid beating heart. She stood there for a few moments, taking deep and easy breaths, before she walked back into the bedroom to check on Jack. She saw that he was already fast asleep with his head turned away from her. His chest rose and fell in slow and steady rhythms as slept, and behind each breath he took, she could hear a soft, rumbling snore. She walked over to him and pulled the covers up to his chin as she leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"Sleep well, Jack," she whispered softly. "I love you."

She admired his sleeping form for a few brief moments before she strode over to the bureau and pulled out a sheet of paper where she scribbled a quick note and left it on the pillow beside him. She then disappeared into the parlor room and grabbed hold of her work uniform which was placed neatly on the sofa. She grabbed the rest of her necessities and stepped out into the hallway and headed toward the bathroom. She knocked on the door and heard no response so she went in and locked the door behind her. She spent the next half hour taking a quick bath and getting ready for work. Once she was done getting dressed, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror and started to work on her hair. She did the best she could to pin her curls up as neatly as possible, and once she was done with that, she gathered up her clothes and opened the door, nearly bumping into one of the tenants.

"Oh, pardon me, sir," Rose said, startled. "I didn't see you."

"It's quite all right, miss," the man said with a strong Scottish accent.

Rose gave him a half smile and excused herself as she brushed past him and headed toward her apartment door.

"Oi! Hold on a minute, lass," the man called as Rose stopped and turned around. "I didn't get to introduce myself." He kindly held his hand out in greeting and smiled. "I'm Camden Wallace, but you may call me Cam."

Rose smiled and offered her left hand, making sure he saw her engagement ring, before she properly introduced herself.

"Rose, what a pretty name," Cam said as he placed a soft kiss upon her delicate hand.

Rose pulled her hand back and took a step back. "Um, thank you," she flashed him an awkward smile. "I have to run along now. I've got things to do."

"Well, I'll see you around then."

Rose could only nod as she stepped inside her apartment and carefully shut the door behind her. She quickly checked the time and found that it was a quarter to eight; she was running a bit late for work. She tossed her clothes on the sofa and slipped into her work shoes before she started heading for Joe's Café.

* * *

Jack let out a soft groan as a stream of sunlight illuminated the room. He tried going back to sleep, but it was no use. He slowly sat himself up against the wall and yawned which only caused for him to erupt into a fit of coughs. Once he regained himself, he took in a deep breath and discovered the slip of paper placed on the pillow beside him. He felt a smile curve upon his lips at the familiar handwriting.

_Jack,_

_I just wanted to let you know that I will be at work until four this afternoon. I should be home no later than half past four. Do get well and be sure to eat! You are far too thin for your own good. I love you, sweetheart. I will see you soon._

_Yours,_

_Rose_

Jack folded the note and slipped it into the drawer of the night table beside him. As he got up from the bed, he started to feel a headache coming on. He pressed his fingers against his temple and sat back down, hoping that the nauseating feeling would dissipate. Soon after, he felt a cool breeze flowing through the cracked window behind him. He grabbed the blanket from the bottom of the bed and wrapped it around himself as he started to shiver. Despite the fact that he was freakishly cold, beads of sweat were rolling down his face. He suffered through a few more sets of coughs before he finally laid back and stared up at the ceiling, wondering how long this illness will last. He was burning with a fever, he had a terrible headache, his throat was sore from all the coughing he's done, and every breath he took made his chest hurt. His eyes suddenly began to droop and it wasn't long before he finally fell into a dreamless slumber.

Though his whole body ached, which made it difficult for him to sleep, thoughts of Rose gave him the comfort he needed in order to catch a few more hours of rest. He could only hope that this will help speed up his recovery.

* * *

Rose was cleaning up the tables while Sylvia took care of the customers. They usually alternated their duties after they had their lunch break to give themselves some variety and to make the day go by faster. It was already half past two in the afternoon; Rose would finish her shift in a few hours and she could hardly wait. She wanted to go home to Jack. Ever since she left for work, she felt on edge. She was worried that Jack's condition would get worse and with her not being home, she was afraid that he wouldn't be able to call for help if things did. She quickly pushed the troubling thoughts away and focused on her task at hand. Worrying wouldn't do her any good, especially not now.

It took her another ten minutes to clean out the vacant tables before she went back to the counter to help Sylvia with the oncoming customers. As she was preparing her customer's order, she noticed Camden, her neighboring tenant from her building, walk in. He caught her gaze and winked as he waited patiently behind the customer she was already helping. Rose handed her customer her order as well as her change after she paid. Once the lady walked off, Camden stepped up and leaned against the counter.

"Hello again," he greeted with a smile. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Well, I do happen to work here," she said wryly. Even though Camden is incredibly attractive with his dark hair and warm brown eyes, she didn't like the fact that he was openly flirting with her.

"I can see that now," he said as he looked into her eyes and smiled. "Well, luv, I'd like to have a nice hot cup of tea and a buttered biscuit."

"Coming right up," Rose announced after she scribbled down his order and went on her way to prepare it. Once she was through with that, she gave him his tea and biscuit and told him the price to which he paid her a few dollars extra.

"Keep the change," he said when he saw her handing him the extra bills.

"Oh, thank you," she offered him a smile of gratitude as she slipped her tip into her pocket and stuffed the rest in the till.

"You're very welcome," he smiled and raised his cup to her. "Enjoy the rest of your day, luv."

"Thanks, you too," she said while he went to take a seat by the storefront window.

Sylvia had been watching the entire time and came to notice the ring she wore on her left finger. "So, he's the lucky one, isn't he?"

"Pardon?" Rose turned to her new friend with a furrowed brow.

"The lucky man that you're going to marry," Sylvia stated as she pointed to Rose's engagement ring.

Rose looked down at her ring and had to laugh. "Oh, no, he's just my neighbor," she said. "I've only met him today. The man that I am going to marry . . ."


	10. A Mother's Despair

**Disclaimer**: This story is written for the sole purpose of entertainment. I own no rights to _Titanic_; James Cameron is the lucky genius who is the rightful owner of this film.

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**Chapter Ten**

_A Mother's Despair_

May, 6, 1912

Her words faded as soon as she heard the soft jingle of the café's bell by the entrance door. Rose looked up and felt her heart jump to her throat when she recognized the woman who just walked in.

Sylvia sensed her tension and started to worry. "Rose, are you all right?" she asked as she followed her gaze and discovered a well-dressed woman standing by the door. She had the same fiery red hair as Rose which was neatly pinned under a hat. The woman seemed to keep her attention focused on Rose, looking at her as if she were a criminal.

Tears welled up in Roses eyes as she stared at her mother from across the room. She held her breath when her mother started making her way toward her, her ice-cold gaze never once leaving hers.

"Rose," Ruth said in a bitter tone. "What a surprise."

Her heart was pounding now as she looked into her mother's eyes and felt nothing but disapproval generate through her. She closed her eyes for a few moments and breathed out slowly as she finally mustered up the courage to speak.

"Yes," Rose's voice was hoarse, but firm. "It is."

Sylvia was confused as to who this woman was that made Rose feel so defensive.

"Would you mind stepping out so I can have a few words with you?" Ruth said in a tone that matched the harshness of her eyes. "There are certain things that need to be discussed in private."

Rose glanced over at Sylvia, who simply shrugged, as Rose reluctantly led her mother out of the café and toward a bench further down the block. Rose kept a distance from her mother as they sat down and waited for the other to speak. A few minutes have passed when Rose finally regained her composure.

"How did you find me?" Rose asked, curious.

"It doesn't matter how I found you," Ruth declared in a harsh tone. "What I don't seem to understand is why you had us all believing you were dead!"

For a brief moment, Rose could've sworn that she saw a hint of sorrow and regret flashing in her mother's eyes, but they vanished as quickly as they came."

"You disappointed me, Rose."

Rose shook her head and scoffed. "Well, that's typical."

"Pardon me?"

"All my life, I've done nothing but obey your every command, and never once have you shown any sort of gratitude. Then again, why would you? Everything I've done was for your benefit, not mine. I only agreed to marry Cal so that you would stop badgering me. I don't care for him or his stupid money. He could be the richest man in the universe and I still wouldn't want to marry him, but of course none of that matters to you. All you care about is money."

"That's not true!" Ruth declared, shocked that her own daughter would think of her in such a manner.

"Of course it is," Rose snapped. "That's all you ever talked about since father died."

"What did you expect from me? I wasn't going to sit back and let our possessions go to waste."

"Oh, but you could sell your daughter off to the richest bachelor in all of Philadelphia," Rose replied, sarcastically. "That makes a lot of sense."

"I was only looking out for your well-being!" Ruth said defensively. "Your father wouldn't have wanted to see you running off with some . . . _street rat_ and live your life in poverty."

"Father would never have forced me to marry someone for the sake of retaining his social status," Rose bitterly stated. "You weren't looking out for my well-being . . . you were looking out for yours."

"I don't understand you! You had a good life with Cal. He would've given you the financial security your father would've wanted you to have, but you threw it away the moment you ran off with that steerage scum."

"I would do it all again if I had to," Rose snapped. "I'd rather burn in hell than marry that pompous bastard."

"Mind your tongue, young lady. I will not have that kind of talk in my presence."

"And I will not have any more of my time wasted," Rose declared as she got up and faced her mother. "I am not going to tolerate your ignorance any longer, mother. I've already sacrificed so much for you and never once have you appreciated any of my efforts. I have a life of my own now and I would greatly appreciate it if you left me in peace."

"Rose, I am your _mother_. You cannot shun me out of your life!"

"I can and I will," Rose threatened. "You may be my mother by birth, but you were never the mother you should've been."

Rose could tell that her words hurt her mother, but Ruth never once faltered. "So this is what you think of me? Your own mother."

Rose looked down at her hands, not knowing what else to say. She was never close with her mother to begin with, and now, she may never get the chance to. "Why did you come here?" she asked with tears brimming her eyes. "What do you want from me?"

"I want you to come back home."

"Come back home to what? The same old miserable life I've led these past eighteen years?"

"You deserve better than this, Rose."

"Why don't you say what you really mean, mother," Rose spat. "You only want me back home so that, by some off chance, Cal and I will get back together." When her mother remained silent, she knew she was right. "It's _never_ going to happen. I don't know how many times I have to tell you this, but I am _not_ going back to him. Not now, not ever. Do you understand?"

Ruth could see the resentment in her daughter's eyes as she spoke of Cal. She thought of Cal as a very respectable man who will help bring them to their victory. After her husband's death, a large sum of debts had to be paid along with the expensive medical bill after his illness overtook him. Ruth couldn't fathom the thought of living a life as a seamstress so she had to do the only thing she thought was best; find a suitable husband for Rose. It was the only way she could continue living in a life of luxury.

"Am I worth that little to you, mother?" Rose asked, breaking into her thoughts. "Do you not care for me at all? Your only daughter?"

Ruth looked up at her in surprise. "Of course I care for you. I cannot believe you would think otherwise!"

Rose sat down on the bench beside her and sighed. "What did you expect me to believe? All my life, I've done nothing but obey your every command, and still, it was never enough."

"I was only doing my duty as your mother, Rose. That is no reason for you to think that I do not care for you!"

"This has nothing to do with your _duty_ as a mother," Rose snapped. "You were never there when I needed you, especially after father died. All you cared about was what dress I would be wearing to the next cotillion or some other stupid and pointless party. Never did you stop to think that maybe what I really needed was a _mother_."

"There is no need to shout!" Ruth stated through clenched teeth. "You are going to cause a scene!"

"So what if I do!" Rose shot back as she stood up again and faced her mother. "I am fed up with having you treat me like some insignificant child! I am a grown woman now and fully capable of doing what I want without your approval. If you cannot respect that, then I suggest you leave. I never asked for you to come in the first place."

Ruth stood on her own feet and glared at Rose. "Why must you be so stubborn? Your father and I raised you better than this! You deserve a better life than this, Rose, and you know it!"

"What could possibly be better than this, mother? Living the rest of my life with that wretched scoundrel?"

"That _scoundrel_ will keep you safe!"

Rose's face suddenly turned cold. "If that is what you believe, mother, then you are a fool."

"What are you talking about?" Ruth asked, perplexed.

"That man that you so desperately admire nearly shot me while the ship was sinking," Rose stared at her mother with anger in her eyes. Cal was really aiming for Jack, but as he was chasing them down into the flooded dining room, he narrowly missed her a few times. "So what do you think of your prince charming now, mother? Would you dare bring me back to the man who could've killed your only daughter?"

Ruth's face had gone pale. "He wouldn't . . ."

"The Cal you know is only a mask of a man that he really is," Rose stated in a low voice. "Jack saved my life. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be alive today."

Ruth could barely bring herself to speak. These past few weeks have been hard on her. She thought she lost her daughter to the _Titanic_, but when she read the survivors list in the paper a few days after the sinking, she noticed the name Rose Dawson among the third class section. I might have been mere coincidence, but she had to make sure. She couldn't live the rest of her life not knowing if this Rose was _her_ Rose. She secretly hired a private investigator to help find her about a week ago, and within a few days, he came across a Rose Dawson living in downtown Manhattan. He gave her the exact location and she went on her way to find her. She didn't know what to expect or what she would've done had it not been Rose, but she knew that she had to see for herself.

Ruth remembered the moment she found out she was pregnant with Rose. Her late husband, Harold, had been overjoyed. She thought that having a child would bring them closer together, but she was wrong. Harold hadn't been happy since the moment they were arranged to be married. He already had his eyes set on someone else, but his parents were adamant about him marrying Ruth so he had no choice but to oblige. He had done his duties as a husband, but he never did any more than he had to.

Once Rose was born, she noticed a change in Harold. All the love and compassion that he neglected to give to his own wife was instantly directed to their daughter, and it was only when he was around Rose, when Ruth ever saw him smile.

When Rose was five years old, she would spend most of her time in her father's study, playing with him whenever he had the chance to. Ruth couldn't help but envy her daughter for receiving Harold's constant love and attention. She tried to get Harold to warm up to her since they married, but to no avail. Every attempt only made him distance himself from her more and more.

As the years passed on, it was becoming more and more unbearable. By the time Rose was ten, Ruth had sent her to boarding school. She wanted her daughter to have proper manners and act like a lady. She was spending way too much time with her father and it only resulted in her unruly behavior.

Rose was fifteen when Harold had fallen ill. He spent the majority of the year on bed rest with Rose by his side. He passed away a few days after her sixteenth birthday. Rose was devastated. She spent most of the month locked in her room, crying. Ruth couldn't even shed a tear. She tried to, wanting to prove to herself that she cared for her late husband, but when she felt no sense of grief plague her, she knew she never did.

After the month slowly passed, Ruth had had enough. She sent Rose to finishing school for the remainder of the year, and when she returned for the Christmas holiday, Ruth had introduced her to Cal. Rose was not impressed by him in the slightest, and she definitely did not like him, but when he proposed at the start of the new year, she had no choice but to accept. She knew the reason why her mother wanted her to marry Cal; he was the wealthiest bachelor in all of Philadelphia. There is no doubt that he is going to be the key to their financial recovery, considering that they have lost a large sum of money after her father's death.

Ruth had no idea that they were running out of money; not until after Harold's funeral when his attorney came in to discuss his debts with her. Her husband had apparently been an excessive gambler, and in order to cover up the fact that he lost the majority of his money, he took out loans from different companies so that Ruth wouldn't find out. Now, she was left to pay off the debts which would eventually leave them homeless.

The thought of living her life in poverty terrified her. She had to do the only thing she knew would prevent them from ever entering that lifestyle; she had to find Rose a proper suitor, and she did. Cal was the perfect gentleman with great prospects and a lot of money. There was no reason for Ruth to believe that he was wrong for her daughter; up until now.

"Look, I have to get back to work," Rose said as she got up and faced her mother. "I finish my shift at five. You can either wait for me or you can leave; it's your choice."

Ruth watched her daughter walk away from her while she was left sitting on the bench, shocked and confused.

* * *

"What was that all about?" Sylvia asked once Rose came back from her very long break.

"Nothing," Rose said as she grabbed a rag and started to furiously clean the counter. "It was nothing."

"Hmmm, how come I don't believe you?"

"Sylvia, I really don't want to talk about it right now," Rose admitted with a sigh. "It's just not something I'm ready to share yet."

"All right," Sylvia said. "I just hope that everything's okay."

Rose simply smiled and went back to cleaning the counter. She couldn't believe what had just happened between her and her mother. How could she possibly expect her to go back into the life that made her absolutely miserable? Her mother could never understand the pain she has undergone in her relationship with Cal. Her mother saw him as this fantastic rich man who would save him from the debt they're buried under, but what she didn't and refused to see was this horrid man who was selfish and cruel. He didn't care for her the way Jack did and he most definitely didn't care for her feelings or for her dreams to be an actress. Cal wasn't right for her and she knew her mother refused to accept that. Rose didn't care for the money, but her mother did. For so long, Rose did everything she could to please her mother, but enough was enough. It was time for her to make her own decisions now.

The rest of her work day passed by much slower than she expected. She cleaned the tables, swept the floor, cared for the customers, and she was now getting ready to leave.

"See you tomorrow, Sylvia," Rose said as she made her way to the door.

"All right, bye Rose!"

Rose waved to her and stepped out of the café, taking in a breath of fresh air. She was finally starting to relax when she caught sight of her mother who was still sitting in the same bench she left her in. It took her a few moments to register what she was seeing and what it meant.

"Mother?" Rose said as she reached the bench.

Ruth wiped away her tears and looked up at her daughter. "I'm sorry. I couldn't leave. I thought about what you said."

Rose remained silent for a few moments as she thought about what she just heard her mother say. It took a minute for her to let it sink in; her mother was sorry. She never thought such a thing would be possible. She watched as her mother got up from her seat and stood in front of me, trembling through her tears.

"I'm terribly sorry, Rose. I hope you could find it in your heart to forgive me."

Rose didn't know what to say. This was such a shock to her. All her life, her mother had a set mind to what she wanted Rose to do with her life, and now, here she was, standing in front of her crying as she apologized. This was a big and sudden change in her mother and she didn't know if it was genuine or if she was playing it out. Either way, she has never seen her mother cry before and she couldn't bear the sight of it so she pulled her mother into a hug and calmed her down.

"Why don't I take you back to my apartment?" Rose said as she held her mother at an arm's length. "I could fix you up a hot cup of tea, if you want. Then we can talk. We have a lot to discuss."

"I would like that very much."

Rose managed a smile and led her mother to her apartment. Rose had to admit that she was a bit nervous about bringing her mother home; after all, the apartment she stayed in wasn't as extravagant as their house back in Pennsylvania; the house that will pretty soon be sold due to the great debt that her family has been buried in since the death of her father. She climbed the stone steps in silence and pushed open the heavy front door. She clenched her teeth and led her mother down the hallway and toward her apartment door. She fumbled in her cloth purse for the key. Once she found it, she took in a breath and opened the door.

"I must warn you now that this apartment doesn't fit the standards of first class," Rose began as they stepped inside. "It's rather small and inexpensive, but it's my home, and I would very much appreciate it if you would respect that."

Ruth took one look around the room and nodded. Rose could see in her mother's face that she disapproved of her current home, but she didn't voice her disapproval, which Rose was glad of.

"Um, have a seat. I'll put the kettle on."

Rose tossed her purse on the coffee table and stepped into the makeshift kitchen. She took a small pot from the top cabinet and filled it with water. After doing so, she lit the burner on the stove and set the kettle on top of it. Knowing that it was going to take a while for the water to boil, she went back to the parlor room and sat beside her mother. It was a while before any of them spoke.

"You're living alone?" Ruth asked.

"Um, no," Rose replied, suddenly realizing that she forgot to mention Jack's survival. "Not exactly."

As if on cue, Jack's muffled coughs were heard from behind the closed bedroom door. Ruth looked up, startled.

"It's a long story, but I'm engaged," Rose said as she played with the ring Jack gave her. "To Jack."

Ruth suddenly fell silent. Rose could see in her mother's face that she didn't look too pleased with the news, but it didn't bother her as much as it would have months ago. She simply waited for her mother to say something. When minutes ticked by and no words were exchanged, Rose took in a deep breath and broke the silence.

"Look, I know you're not fond of him, but the least you could do is give him a chance," Rose paused for a few moments and watched her mother closely before continuing. "I love him, mother. There's nothing you or anyone can do to change that. He means the world to me, and I'm sure it's difficult for you to accept that, but you're going to have to. Especially if you want things to get better between us."

Ruth didn't know what to say; she just sat there, stunned. She looked at her daughter and saw a brand new woman. A _different_ woman. No doubt she had Jack to thank for that. Jack; he was the man she despised from the moment she laid eyes on him. He is also the man who caused for her plan to come to ruins. Most of all, Jack is the man who saved her daughter's life. She owed a lot to him, but most importantly, she owed him an apology.

"Well," Ruth took a breath in and sat up straight. "I suppose I have no choice in the matter."

Rose blinked; had she heard her mother right? "Pardon?"

"I guess I have no choice but to accept the new lifestyle you've adopted because I would hate to have to lose you again," Ruth fought back her tears. "I don't think I could bear it."

Rose felt a lump piercing her throat as she pulled her mother into a tight embrace and sobbed against her shoulder. She couldn't remember the last time she was held in her mother's arms. Her mother was barely ever affectionate toward her during her childhood years, especially on moments when she needed her the most. Ruth was adamant about composure and proper etiquette that she failed to acknowledge her daughter's feelings. To know that her mother has suddenly transformed into the woman she was embracing right this very moment shocked her. It took a few minutes for her to let it sink in; her mother was accepting her choices. For the first time in her life, she wasn't being criticized or judged. Her mother accepted her. The thought alone made her cry tears of relief.

"Oh, mother . . ." Rose pulled away and wiped her tears.

They were suddenly interrupted by a sharp whistle coming from the kitchen. The tea was ready. Rose quickly excused herself and spent the next few minutes preparing the tea that she promised her mother earlier. Once she was finished, she brought the cups over to the sofa and handed her mother a steaming cup of lemon tea.

"I should go check up on Jack," Rose said. "I'll be right back."

Rose walked toward the bedroom door and peeked her head in. She found Jack leaning against the headboard. He looked as if he hadn't slept for weeks. She took a step inside the room and shut the door behind her.

"Hey," his voice was still hoarse, but it was much clearer than before. "How was work?"

"It was . . . interesting," she said as she set the cup of tea on the nightstand. She then took a seat on the bed beside him and felt his forehead; it was warm now, not burning hot as it was before. "Are you feeling any better?"

"A little bit," he replied. "My throat still hurts."

"Here, this will help," Rose took the cup from the nightstand and handed it to him. "Drink slowly. It'll soothe your throat."

Jack accepted the cup and took a small sip. "Who were you talking to?" he asked suddenly. "I heard voices."

"Well, you may find it hard to believe, but my mother stopped by the café earlier this afternoon. We had a long talk about everything and now she is sitting in the living room drinking tea."

"Wait, your _mother's_ here?" Jack asked, genuinely surprised. "Right now?"

"Yes. She's in the next room."

Jack cleared his throat and took another sip of his tea. "Well, I suppose she won't be thrilled to see me."

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say that," Rose said as she thought back on her mother's reaction when she announced her engagement. "I know she hasn't been fond of you, but somehow, she's changed. I think the sinking has had a great effect on her."

Jack remained silent for a few moments while Rose told him about the conversation she had with her mother earlier in the afternoon. She also mentioned how surprised she had been when she discovered that her mother actually waited for her after her shift was over.

"I have never seen my mother cry; up until today," Rose concluded. "My mother has always been adamant about composure and etiquette. She hasn't even shed a tear when my father died."

Jack set his cup on the nightstand and tried to get out of bed, but Rose stopped him.

"Jack, don't strain yourself. You need your rest."

"I've been in bed all day," Jack said. "I think I've had enough rest."

"The doctor said that it's vital for you to maintain your strength," Rose pointed out. "You're still running a fever."

"I can't be lying around like this while your mother's here. What would she think?"

"Look, it doesn't matter what my mother thinks. You're ill. I don't want you getting any worse because of your pride. You need your rest."

Jack sighed as he leaned back against the headboard. "I hope I get better soon. I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"You will, trust me," she bent down to kiss his forehead. "Finish up your tea. I'll go get you a nice hot bowl of soup."

"Thanks," Jack said as he fought another bout of coughs.

Rose got up from the bed and walked toward the bedroom door. She took one quick glance at her fiancé and smiled before shutting the door behind her. Ruth had just finished her tea and was sitting quietly on the sofa while Rose simply stood there, trying to think of what to say.

"Um, Jack says hello," Rose finally said. "He's not feeling well at the moment. He sprung a fever last night."

Ruth looked up at her daughter. "Is he okay?"

"He's getting better, but he's not well enough to get out of bed. I'm going to stop by Denny's and get him a bowl of soup. Would you mind coming along?"

"Not at all," Ruth got up from her seat and fetched her shawl. "I could do with some fresh air."

The two women then walked out of the apartment and left the building. Denny's was a local restaurant a few blocks away from where Jack and Rose lived. They discovered it just a few days before Jack's unexpected departure. Rose bought Jack a bowl of chicken soup with a piece of bread. After purchasing the meal, she and her mother took a stroll back to the apartment. When they reached the building, Ruth stopped.

"I should probably get going," Ruth said, hesitating.

"Right now?" Rose asked; she was hoping her mother would stay for dinner.

"I'm afraid so."

"Won't you stay for dinner, at least?"

"I would love to, but I have a few errands to run," Ruth suddenly fell silent; it took her a few moments to speak again. "I have to find a new place to live. I cannot bear to stay with Cal, knowing what he's done."

"Well, in that case, you can stay with us," Rose said.

"I couldn't possibly. I'd only be in the way."

"Nonsense, you're staying with us and I am not taking no for an answer."

Ruth was touched by her offer. She didn't know how to thank her. She never imagined that her life would change so drastically. Just last month, she was in the process of planning her daughter's wedding to the richest bachelor in all of Philadelphia, and now, she was standing in front her daughter in a rundown neighborhood. Despite the conditions that caused for them to be where they are today, Ruth was glad to have her daughter back in her life. After all, Ruth loved her daughter, and for the first time, she did not hesitate to express it; and that is what brought her out of her despair.


	11. Cal's Return

**Disclaimer**: As always, I own nothing relating to _Titanic_. I am simply writing this story to help keep this fandom alive. Oh, and a fair warning to those who are under the age of 18 ... there is a slightly graphic sex scene in this chapter. Don't say I didn't warn you! Happy reading! :-)

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**Chapter Eleven**

_Cal's Return_

May, 25, 1912

A little over two weeks have passed since Rose reunited with her mother. In that time, they have bonded quite well. Rose has never been close to her mother, up until now. It was a complete shock to her how quickly a person can change; and for the better. Rose was grateful to have her mother back in her life. She truly never expected to see her again after the sinking. Then again, she never expected her life to take such a drastic turn.

Ruth was still adjusting to her new life. She was not used to having limitations, but she was learning. She recently learned how to properly wash the dishes and even prepare a simple meal – something she has never done before. She never understood the capacity of work her former servants had to deal with, up until now. They have done everything in their power to ensure that she lived a comfortable life and never once had she shown an ounce of appreciation for their hard work. She knew that she was going to live with this guilt for the rest of her life.

Ruth had also warmed up to Jack; it had taken some time, but she finally accepted him and welcomed him with open arms. This came as a surprise to both Jack and Rose because they never imagined that she would take this step so quickly.

Jack's illness dissolved within the first week of Ruth's stay, much to his relief. He was getting restless and bored with having to be in bed all day, but Rose would not allow him to get out of bed, except for when absolutely necessary, until his fever was gone; that week was the longest week of Jack's life. Once Jack was able to bathe himself clean and grab a bite to eat, he was out the door in search of a job. Over the past week and a half, he was unsuccessful in finding anything. Up until a few days ago, when he finally found himself a job at an advertising agency; his role is to create flyers that will be posted in various newspapers throughout the city. This job helped him promote his artistic talent and it wasn't as physically demanding as his previous job at the factory. His hours were pretty decent; during the weekdays, Jack worked from the early morning hours until late afternoon, and on the weekends, he worked from noon until early evening. He was finally able to spend time with Rose after work, unlike when he had the factory job, and for that, he will always be grateful.

Rose was off from work today considering that it was a Saturday. She had spent most of the morning reading the newspaper and cleaning the apartment. It was now half past noon; Jack was at work and her mother was out shopping. Ruth invited Rose to come along, but she politely declined, telling her mother how she wanted to spend some time alone and relax after having worked the whole week prior.

Rose was busy dusting off the coffee table when there was a knock on the door. Puzzled, for she did not really expect anybody, she took a glance at the clock and went to see who it was. When she opened the door, she felt her heart jump to her throat. Her eyes were fixed on the man who stood in front of her; a man she never expected to see again.

"Well, hello there, _darling_," came his bitter reply as he glowered at her.

Rose took in a breath and glared at him in return. "Cal," she spoke his name as if it were poison to her lips. "What an unpleasant surprise."

He adjusted his tie and peered over her shoulder. "I should think otherwise."

"Leave, _now_," Rose sputtered with anger. "I don't want to ever see you again."

"I'd rather stay," he said as he looked at her from head to toe. "Besides, I came to take what's mine."

Rose noticed the way he was looking at her and it filled her with disgust. "I do not belong to you, or anyone else for that matter, so I would greatly appreciate it if you would just leave. Now."

"What, do you suppose, will stop me? _You?_" he grabbed hold of her arm and pushed her inside. "I don't think so."

Rose pulled away from his grasp and scowled at him. "How _dare_ you!"

Cal simply ignored her and lit a cigar. He took a long, deep puff before tapping the ashes off on the hardwood floor. "Well, don't just stand there, get me something to drink."

Rose kept her anger at bay as she righted herself and walked to the door. "I will not tolerate your foolishness any longer," she said while she kept the door open. "Leave now, or I will have someone escort you."

Cal laughed and kicked the door shut, catching Rose by surprise. "You know, it's a pity that precious gutter rat of yours had to die," he said, smirking at her discomfort. "Now you won't have anyone to play whore with."

Rose, boiling over with rage, smacked Cal's face as hard as her hand would allow. "You _bastard_."

Cal pressed a hand against his cheek and smiled a sly smile. "You'd better watch your tongue, young girl," he said while he grabbed her arms and pushed her up against the wall.

"Let go of me," she sputtered as she winced in pain. "You're hurting me!"

"Where's that gutter rat now, huh?" he hissed angrily as he firmly pressed his body against her own. "Too busy lying on the bottom of the ocean, perhaps?"

Rose struggled against his hold on her, trying to break free, but his grip was far too strong. "Let go of me!" she shrieked.

Cal slammed his hand over her mouth and stared at her, long and hard. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Tears were brimming over her eyes as she continued to struggle against him. Her eyes were pleading with him to let her go, but his heart of stone proceeded to ignore her every protest.

"Now, I will take what's mine," he said as he slipped his down to the space between her legs and groped her.

His touch sent a wave of disgust throughout her body and she flailed against him, trying her best to break free from his hold on her. She managed to squirm her head slightly away from his hand, and when she saw her chance, she took it; she bit his fingers as hard as she could and kicked him in the groin.

Rose quickly scrambled to the door and shouted for help while Cal cowered in pain. "Help me! Somebody, please help me!"

It took a few moments for Cal to recover, and once he did, he was back on his feet in an instant. "You better shut your pretty mouth, you whore, or you're going to regret it," he warned her as he grabbed hold of her once again and kicked the door closed; however, the sudden bang of the door opening startled the both of them.

"Let her go, you bloody bastard," came the reply of a man with a thick Scottish accent.

"Camden!" Rose cried with relief. "Thank God!"

Cal released his hold on her and glanced at the both of them before managing to laugh. "Well, well, well, the whore sure does move fast," he shook his head as if in astonishment. "The gutter rat's not dead for more than a month, and already, you've managed to make yourself a whore to another man."

"Oi! That's no way to speak to a lady," Camden remarked angrily as he stood in front of Rose. "Show some respect, sir, and leave now."

"I'd step out of my way if I were you," Cal threatened. "I wouldn't want anyone to get _hurt_."

Camden took a few steps closer to Cal until their faces were mere inches apart. "Then get the fuck out."

Cal grabbed Camden by the collar of his shirt and attempted to throw him over the coffee table when he felt Cam knee him in the stomach. He doubled over in pain and growled as Cam's fist slammed against his face, sending him crashing against the coffee table; the impact caused for the wooden table to break in half.

Rose looked on in shock as Cal struggled to get up. Camden simply rolled up his sleeves and prepared himself for more if Cal dared to challenge him again. When Cal finally managed to get up, he fixed up his suit and glowered at Camden.

"You filthy bastard, this is an expensive suit!"

"Makes no difference to me," Camden remarked with bitterness. "Now get the fuck out before I bust your face in."

Rose kept her arms crossed as she fought the tears that were threatening to break loose. Cal glowered angrily at the both of them before stalking off to the door.

"This isn't over yet," Cal said as he pointed at Rose. "I'll be back." With that said, Cal walked out the door and left the building.

Rose was shaking as she sank to the floor in a flood of tears. "He was going to . . . oh, God, Cam . . . if you didn't come, I . . . he would've . . ." She covered her mouth to stop herself from saying it. The mere thought of it sent terrifying shivers down her spine. She could barely breathe against her heart wrenching sobs; she was so overwhelmed and scared by what nearly happened that she didn't push Camden off when he knelt down to hold her.

"Everything's going to be okay," Camden whispered. "I'm not going to let anybody hurt you."

Rose continued to cry against his shoulder while he whispered soothing words in her ear. All she could hear was the sound of her heartbeat; quick and heavy with fear. They must've stayed like that for a total of five minutes until Rose heard the sound of distant voices out in the hallway. She stopped crying and looked up at the door with attentive eyes as she heard the voices become gradually louder the closer they got to her apartment. She watched as the doorknob turned, and a few seconds later, she saw Jack standing in the doorway alongside her mother.

"Rose?" Jack's voice filled with concern when he saw Rose crying on the floor. "What happened?"

Rose pulled away from Camden's arms and got up from the floor. She took one look at Jack before she rushed into his arms and cried on his shoulder. "Oh, Jack . . ." she buried her face in his neck and kept a tight hold of him, afraid to let him go for even a second.

Jack threw Camden a quizzical glance as he held her close and stroked her hair. "Shhh, it's okay. I'm here now. Don't cry."

Jack made a move as if he would pull away, but Rose wouldn't let him; she clung to him as if her life depended on it. "Don't let me go, please . . . Jack, please."

Jack glowered at Camden. "What'd you do to her?" he demanded with anger rising in his voice.

"Whoa there, mate," Camden said as he raised his arms in defense. "I haven't done anything to her. Some bloke came in and tried to attack her, so I came in to help her, is all. I would never cause harm to a lady. It's not in my nature."

Jack searched the man's eyes and saw that he was telling the truth. He wrapped his arms around Rose and placed a grateful kiss on top of her ruby red curls.

"Thank you," Jack said, relieved. "I don't know what I would've done if something happened to her."

"You're welcome," Camden stated with pride. "I'm glad I was there in time to stop that bloody bastard."

Rose's sobs slowly began to dissolve into silent tears before Rose finally managed to pull herself away from Jack's comforting embrace. She clutched onto his shirt and looked up at him, noticing that his eyes were filled with worry.

"Are you okay now?" Jack asked as he wiped away her tears.

Rose closed her eyes and nodded. "I'm fine," she muttered. She was still a bit shaken up, but Jack really helped soothe her nerves. She suddenly remembered that she hadn't introduced Camden. "Oh, how very rude of me . . . Jack, this is Camden Wallace. I sort of bumped into him earlier this morning. He lives upstairs, I believe. Camden, this is my fiancé, Jack Dawson, and my mother Ruth DeWitt-Bukater."

"It's a pleasure to meet the both of you," Camden said, tipping his hat.

Jack nodded and breathed a sigh. "I don't mean to sound rude, but would you mind if I spoke to Rose alone? It's really important."

"No problem, mate," Camden said as he walked to the door. "See you later."

Once Camden was out the door, Ruth pulled her daughter into her arms. "Oh, Rose," she stroked her daughter's hair and kissed her cheek. "What happened?"

Rose started shaking again as she thought about how close she had come to rape. Whenever she tried to say something, she would choke up in tears. She covered her mouth and shook her head while tears began streaming down her face.

"Who did this to you?" Jack asked, angry and concerned.

Rose cried for a few moments before she finally managed to blurt out her answer, "Cal."

Jack's rage began to boil over at the mention of Cal's name. He clenched his hands into tight fists and ground his teeth to prevent himself from acting out on his anger.

"I told him to leave, but he wouldn't listen. He kept on saying how he came to take what's his, then he grabbed me . . . and he . . ." Rose stared off into space as tears silently slid down her pale cheeks. "He was about to . . . _rape_ me."

Jack, stunned into silence, started shaking with fury. "That fucking _bastard_," he muttered angrily. "If he ever comes again, I'm going to kill him."

Rose covered her face with her hands and cried. "I was so scared . . ." she sobbed. "I'm sorry . . . I'm so sorry."

Jack took her face in his hands and kissed her. "Shhh, it's not your fault," he pulled her into his arms and fought back tears. "I'm not going to let him hurt you again."

"We have to move, Jack," Rose said, matter-of-factly. "He knows where we live."

Jack pulled away and looked into her eyes. "Rose, he hurt you and I'm not going to let him get away with it. If he decides to come back, he's going to pay for what he's done because _no one_ has the authority to hurt the person I love."

Rose wrapped her arms around him and cried happy tears. "I love you."

He breathed in her scent and smiled. "I love you, too."

They stayed that way for a long time before Rose spoke again. "We need to set a date soon, Jack. I can't bear the thought of losing you again. I want to be yours forever."

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere," Jack said as he gently tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "Like it or not, Rose, you're stuck with me."

Rose smiled happily while she wrapped her arms around his waist and listened to the sound of his heartbeat. "How about the first?" She looked up at him with hopeful eyes; that was exactly a week from now.

Jack looked into her eyes and grinned. "The first it is."

Rose, overcome with happiness, pulled Jack into her arms and kissed him with every ounce of passion she had in her. In one week's time, she will officially become Rose Dawson. It was incredibly overwhelming and exciting at the same time. Though one week is much too soon to prepare for a wedding, it felt as if it were centuries away.

When they finally managed to pull away from each other, Rose turned to see her mother, who has been silent for a long while now, in tears.

"Mother, are you all right?" Rose rushed to her mother's side and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Of course," she smiled through her tears and hugged her daughter. "My daughter's getting married."

Rose hugged her mother tight and smiled. "Can you believe it, mother? I'll be married in a week!"

"Oh, my! There's a lot that needs to be done, and if we want to get everything done on time, we must start planning right now," Ruth took hold of Rose's hand and brought her to the sofa where they both sat down and started discussing plans for the wedding.

Jack simply looked on in silence and smiled. He was glad that Rose reunited with her mother; they have bonded well over the past couple of weeks. He never expected that Ruth would change so quickly, but she surprised the both of them.

He never thought that he would ever settle down so early in his life; he was a free-spirited artist who loved to travel and couldn't stand to be in one place for too long. All that has changed the moment he first laid eyes on her; from that moment on, he knew his life would never be the same.

* * *

Caledon Hockley paced the floor of his suite at the Waldrof-Astoria with anger and frustration. His new manservant, Walter Jennings, was patiently sitting on the sofa, waiting for him to cool down. After having lost his best manservant, Spicer Lovejoy, to the sinking of the _Titanic_, his father has appointed him Walter, who was strong and intelligent. Walter, who is well-built for his age, was amid his mid-forties.

"Sir, I suggest you calm down," Walter said, sensing his boss' tension. "You're going to wear down a hole in the floor."

"Walter, you don't understand," Cal said as he stopped pacing. "I thought she was dead!"

Several days earlier, Cal spotted a newspaper displaying headlines on _Titanic's_ tragic demise. They have recently made a new survivor's list, considering that those who were left unconscious after the sinking have now awaken. Even though he knew the truth, Cal's curiosity caused for him to glance through the steerage list where, surprisingly enough, there was a Rose Dawson.

Cal felt his anger boil over. "After all that I've done for her, she runs off with that . . . _gutter rat_ and takes his name."

"I don't see why it would matter, sir," Walter stated. "She's out of your life now. I'm sure Miss Amelia, the beauty that she is, will give you the satisfaction you need."

Cal growled while he puffed at his cigar. "You don't understand, Walter," he started pacing again. "Rose was _mine_. She was to be _my_ wife and the mother to _my_ sons."

"The man is dead and this Rose is nothing but a peasant girl," Walter pointed out, matter-of-factly. "Are you sure she is worth all this trouble?"

"She is worth that and more," Cal spat.

"Whatever you say, sir," Walter said as he got up from his seat and sighed. "Well, I am off to retire for the night, if that is okay with you, sir."

"Fine, go," Cal said while Walter bade him goodnight and headed to his chamber.

Cal, on the other hand, was not yet ready to go to bed. He was far too angry to even think of sleep. He walked to the liquor cabinet and pulled out the finest bottle of whiskey he could find. He grabbed a glass and filled it to the brim. He slammed the bottle on the table and gulped down the entire glass within seconds. He shut his eyes and cherished the burning sensation of the alcohol running down his throat.

He has tried everything to make Rose love him. Ever since he proposed, he could sense her distaste for him. He knew her affections were a mere act for her mother, but he thought that if he gave her time, she would warm up to him. She never did.

His rage flared up at the thought of her. He poured himself another glassful of whiskey, then another, and another. He drank the entire bottle in a span of ten minutes. Upon finishing his final glass, he tossed it on the floor and got up from his chair. He stumbled out of the study and toward Amelia's bedroom.

He pushed open the door and leaned against the doorway, admiring Amelia's sleeping form. He grinned to himself as he slowly started making his way toward her bed.

"Sweetpea, wake up," Cal slurred as he shook her. "Sweetpea!"

Amelia's eyes fluttered open a few seconds later. "Cal?" she mumbled while her bleary gaze focused on his drunken state. "What do you want?"

He pulled the covers away from her and growled, "I want _you_."

Amelia, startled by his roughness, flinched back. "Cal, what are you doing?"

He took off his jacket and threw it on the chair. He started unbuttoning his shirt and chuckled at the fright that glimmered in his new fiancé's eyes. "I am going to claim my prize," he said.

"Cal, please . . ."

Cal removed his shirt and tossed it on the floor. A sly grin curved upon his lips as he grabbed her hand and placed it over his erected member.

"Stop it!" Amelia shrieked as she pulled her hand away and attempted to get out of bed. Cal quickly grabbed her arm before she could and threw her back in bed. He climbed over her and pulled her nightgown up. "Cal, don't. Please," she mumbled through her tears while she tried to cover herself.

Cal, angry and frustrated, slapped her hard across the face. "You will not disobey me!"

"Cal, please," she cried. "I am begging you. I am not yet your wife."

"You _are_ my wife, Amelia, in _practice_, if not yet by law, and you _will_ honor me," Cal hissed, remembering the last time he spoke those words. "I expect male heirs to be born to this family and you will give them to me."

He unbuckled his trousers and slid them off, leaving only his drawers. He pulled off the only piece of undergarment she wore and covered her body with his own.

Amelia was far too shocked and frightened to fight back. Tears were slipping down her cheeks as he thrust himself into her, hard and deep. He grabbed hold of her wrists and placed them over her head while he proceeded to thrust into her. A few minutes later, Cal let out a low grunt as he made his final thrust and collapsed on top of her.

A few moments later, he got up and dressed back into his clothes. Amelia lay on the bed, shaking with fright. "You are mine, now," Cal said through gritted teeth. "And I expect you to give yourself to me willingly."

With that said, he stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him. Once she was sure he was gone, Amelia pulled up the covers and cried herself to sleep.


	12. Wedding Arrangements

**Disclaimer**: I am not James Cameron, therefore, I am not the genius who came up with this wonderful love story. I am merely a fan keeping my devotion (as well as yours) for the movie alive. Happy reading!

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**Chapter Twelve**

_Wedding Arrangements_

May, 26, 1912

It was late afternoon the next day. Rose was browsing through dresses inside a bridal shop; her mother came along to help. They have spent nearly two hours looking for a dress, and so far, they were unsuccessful. Every dress that Rose found was either too expensive or not to her liking.

"Oh, mother, it's hopeless," Rose said as she rejected what must've been the hundredth dress so far. "I'm never going to find the right one."

"Don't fret, Rose," Ruth told her while she browsed through another rack of dresses. "We'll find one, even if we have to search all day for it."

Rose sighed as she pulled out another dress and examined it. It appealed to her, but when she glanced at the tag, she instantly put it back. They continued searching for another half hour until Ruth found something decent at the back of the store.

"Rose, how about this one?" Ruth said as she held out a white ankle length dress with lacey elbow sleeves and an embroidered bodice.

Rose examined the dress and decided it was too big. Ruth searched through the rack again and kept pulling out a variety of dresses until Rose caught sight of the perfect dress.

"Oh, I like this one," Rose said as she held the dress out in front of her.

It was a white floor length dress with short sleeves and a low neckline; the bodice was covered with elaborate embroidery and the skirt was layered and smooth.

"It's beautiful," Rose smiled. "I think this is the one."

They then spent another half hour looking for a pair of shoes, silk lingerie, and a white ribbon that she would plait into her hair. Once Rose found everything she needed, she purchased everything and headed off to a department shop with her mother to help her find her dress for the wedding. As they were walking up the block, Rose caught sight of an art supply store. She looked through the window and smiled.

Jack lost his art supplies to the sinking of the _Titanic_. Rose knew how much Jack loved to draw, and considering that he hasn't had the chance to purchase a new set, she figured that this would make a perfect wedding gift to Jack.

Rose smiled as she thought of the last time he drew her. She would never forget the way his piercing blue eyes looked at her while he captured her features and put it all on paper. The drawing was now buried deep in the North Atlantic, locked in a safe, and never to be seen again.

Rose knew how much Jack loved to draw; she saw the passion in his eyes when he drew her. Jack's gift was unlike any other. She has seen plenty of artists' work in the past, but none of them compared to Jack's incredible drawings. Jack had the capability of capture an image in his mind and transferring all onto paper as if he snapped a picture of it. She could hardly wait to see what Jack would draw next.

"Rose, is everything all right?" she heard her mother ask from behind her.

"Yes," Rose smiled. "Everything's perfect. I'm just going to take a quick stop here and buy Jack his wedding gift."

Rose then headed to the entrance of the shop and stepped inside.

* * *

Jack spent most of the afternoon making arrangements for the wedding ceremony at the nearest church he could find. It didn't take a lot to convince the priest to marry him and Rose at such a short notice.

The wedding was merely a week away. He could hardly wait to spend the rest of his life with Rose. She meant the world to him and he would do everything in his power to make sure that she is happy, healthy, and safe.

He was walking toward downtown when he heard someone call his name; he turned around and saw that it was Camden. They greeted each other and started walking in the same direction.

"So, where are you headed off to?" Camden asked as he lit a cigarette.

"To buy Rose a wedding present," Jack replied.

"Aren't you two already married? I couldn't help but notice that you both have the same last name."

"No, not yet. We only said we were married so that we could live together."

"Oh, so when's the big day?"

"Next week."

"Well, congratulations, mate," Camden said with a smile.

"Thanks."

"So what are you thinking of getting her?"

"I have no idea," Jack admitted after a while.

"Ah, I'm sure you'll find something, boy-o.'

"_Ah, forget it, boy-o. You'd as like to have angels fly out of your arse than get next to the likes of her."_

Jack froze while images of his lost friend began to flood his mind. The Irishman, who was so full of life, was now dead.

"Hey, Jack. Are you all right?" Camden asked, noticing how quiet Jack became all of a sudden.

Jack shook his head, attempting to erase the painful thoughts, and managed a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Camden looked skeptical, but he didn't push it any further. Instead, they continued along their way and sparked a conversation. It wasn't until they walked a good ten blocks when Jack finally found a store where he could buy Rose a perfect wedding present.

* * *

It was half past four when Rose and her mother finally returned home from a long day of shopping. Lucky for Rose, Jack was still out. She didn't know how long she had before he got back, so she locked herself in the bedroom and laid out her gift on the worn mattress. She bought Jack a brand new leather portfolio, a set of blank sheets of paper, and a variety of drawing tools; everything Jack would need to keep his passion alive. She opened the cover of the portfolio and read the special message she had engraved inside:

_You jump, I jump. Never forget how much I love you. Make each day count._

_Forever yours,_

_Rose_

She ran her fingertips over the inscribed words and smiled. She could hardly wait to give it to Jack on their wedding day. She unrolled the silver colored wrapping paper that she purchased at a nearby gift shop and started wrapping the items together. Once she finished, she picked up the wrapped bundle and headed toward the closet at the opposite end of the room. It was small and dust, but it would have to do; there was no other place for her to hide it. She carefully slid the gift on the top shelf and closed the door.

Rose cleaned up the mess and went to prepare a late lunch when Jack finally came back home.

"Hey, you're home," he greeted with a smile; he wasn't expecting her back so soon.

Rose noticed him hiding something behind his back. "What have you got there?"

"Oh, nothing," he said while he sidestepped closer to the sofa. "Just a little something that you really wouldn't be interested in."

"Then why are you hiding it?" Rose asked with an arched brow.

"No reason," Jack said as he quickly made his way into the bedroom.

Rose stared at the closed bedroom door for a while before she shook her head and laughed. Rose sat down next to her mother and waited. She picked up the newspaper from the coffee table and skimmed through the pages until Jack finally stepped out of the bedroom a few minutes later.

"What was that all about?" Rose asked as she folded the newspaper and placed it back on the coffee table.

"Nothing," Jack said a bit too quickly. "I just had to go do something real quick."

"Hmm, like what?" Rose smiled; she enjoyed teasing him.

"I can't tell you. It's a surprise."

"Oh, I love surprises," Rose got up from her seat and wrapped her arms around it. "Will I like this surprise?"

Jack kissed her forehead and smiled. "I really hope so."

"Well, I have a surprise for you, too," Rose said with a smile. "I'm sure you're going to love it."

"If it's coming from you, then I already do."

"I can't wait for you to see it."

Jack grinned as he held her close to him. "I can't wait for you to see yours," he said. "One week seems so far away."

"It's only five more days until we'll be husband and wife," Rose smiled.

"Five more days," Jack said, letting it sink in. "Rose, we're getting married."

"I know! Isn't it wonderful?" Rose stood on her toes and kissed him.

Jack kissed her back and held her in a loving embrace. "I love you, Rose."

"I love you, too," she whispered softly. "More than you'll ever know."

Suddenly, upon the realization on how close they are to getting married, Rose began to think of Cal and how he could destroy everything. Nothing scared her more than knowing that her ex-fiancé could stop by at any given moment and without warning. There's no telling what he would do.

Rose looked up at Jack with worried eyes. "Jack, I'm scared," she admitted. "What if Cal comes back?"

"I won't let him hurt you," Jack said while he stroked her curls. "Not now, not ever."

"I'm more scared of him hurting you. He doesn't know you're alive. God only knows what he'll do to you when he finds out the truth."

"You don't have to worry about me, Rose. I'll be fine."

"Cal's a very jealous man, Jack. He'll stop at nothing to get what he wants."

"Jealous or not, it doesn't matter. I'll do whatever it takes to protect the woman I love, even if it means risking my life."

Rose pulled him into her arms to hide her tears from him. "I don't want to lose you again," she whispered in his ear. "I don't think I could bear it."

"Rose, listen to me," Jack pulled away so that he could look into her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere, okay? I give you my word. I'm not letting him tear us apart."

A single tear slid down her cheek as she pulled his face to hers and kissed him. She was terrified for the both of them. They have to find a new place and fast. The last thing she wanted was for Cal to make another unwelcome visit. God only knew what this man was capable of; she didn't want to take any chances.


	13. A Reunion of a Strong Friendship

**Disclaimer**: As mentioned in the previous chapters, I do not own anything _Titanic_. All rights to the movie goes to, none other, than the fabulous James Cameron. So, without any further delay, here's the freshly edited chapter! Happy reading!

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**Chapter Thirteen**

_A Reunion of a Strong Friendship_

May, 29, 1912

There were only three days left until the wedding and still so much that needed to be done. Despite the stress of having to plan everything in such a short notice, Jack and Rose were both very excited and eager for the day to arrive. It was only a matter of time before they will finally become husband and wife.

Jack went out shopping for a suit with Camden; they've been gone for the past hour and a half, giving Rose ample time to air out her dress. She kept it packed in the shopping back because she didn't want to risk Jack seeing it before the wedding. The thought that she will soon become the official Mrs. Jack Dawson made her heart flutter with happiness. It was all she could do to keep herself from giggling with absolute joy.

Ruth was in the next room reading the local paper. It's been a quiet afternoon thus far and Rose was glad of it. The past few days have been hectic with work, preparations for the wedding, and the search for a new apartment. At times, Rose would wonder if it was wise for them to marry so quickly, but then she would think of Cal and how close he was to hurting her. It scared her deeply to know that he could come at any given time, without warning, and possibly succeed at what he failed to do at his last visit.

_Bastard_, Rose thought to herself as she smoothed out the layers of her wedding dress. _Nothing can come between us. Not even you._

Jack and Camden have spent nearly two hours searching for the cheapest suit they could possibly find at a local tuxedo shop in downtown Manhattan. Jack also bought a pair of black dress shoes and a bowtie to match. They were now heading back to the apartment. They passed by a long and dark alleyway when Jack caught a glimpse of a lone figure leaning against the wall; he was reading a newspaper.

Jack stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the vaguely familiar man with curious eyes. Without even realizing it, he was taking a few steps closer to him, wanting to get a better look; he had a strong inkling that he somehow knew this man.

"Oi! Where are you going, mate?" Camden called out from the street corner.

Jack ignored him; he just kept on walking toward the man until he was a mere three feet away. He was now close enough to make out the man's features; he had dark wavy hair and a month old beard. On his head, he wore an oddly familiar cap that covered a white gauze bandage. Jack caught sight of the newspaper this man was holding. Like every paper in the city, the headlines featured nothing other than the tragic sinking of the _Titanic_. On the front page was a drawn picture of the ship making its final plunge into the water. The paper suddenly fell to the floor by the man's feet. Jack looked up and found himself staring into a pair of familiar brown eyes. It took him a moment to recognize the man because he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him; he blinked a few times, rubbed at his eyes, and shook his head before looking at the man again, only to find that he was still there.

"_Fabrizio?_" Jack muttered in disbelief.

"Oh, _Dio mio_," Fabrizio pulled Jack into a brotherly embrace and held him for a good minute. "_Amico mio_. I thought I would never see you again."

Jack couldn't believe it; his best friend was still alive. It took a while before he could even muster up the courage to speak again. "Fabri . . . I can't believe it's you. I thought you were dead."

"Hey, Jackie boy," Camden suddenly interrupted as he joined them in the alleyway. "What's going on?"

Jack looked over at his new friend, not knowing what to tell him. He wasn't ready to talk about the _Titanic_ yet; the memories were still too fresh in his mind. He still needed time to heal from the tragedy that nearly took his life. He waited for a few moments before he decided to proceed with the introductions.

"Cam, this is a very good friend of mine, Fabrizio de Rossi. Fabri, this is Camden Wallace. He lives in the apartment above mine."

"It's nice to meet you, mate," Camden said as he held his hand out in greeting.

Fabrizio smiled and shook Camden's hand with a firm grip. "Same here," he replied. "I am sorry if my English is bad. _Io sono Italiano_."

"It's quite all right," Camden stated with a grin. "Hey, if you don't mind my asking, what happened to your head?"

Fabrizio pulled his hat a bit lower and grimaced in pain. His wound was still healing so it hurt to touch or move his head. His mind began to wander back to the incident that caused for his head injury and how very lucky he was to even be alive.

_He tried getting on a lifeboat, but a first class man fought him off, refusing to let him in. Fabrizio was beginning to lose hope. It was impossible for him to survive this; the water was far too cold. He managed to escape death a while ago; one of _Titanic's_ four smokestacks nearly crushed him, but before it could, he swam as fast as he possibly could, only to smash his head against the metal rail at the side of the ship. Surprisingly enough, he managed to keep awake and swam away from the ship as far as his limbs could take him._

_The freezing cold of the water was making it very difficult for him to keep afloat. The throbbing pain at the side of his head wasn't making it any easier, either. Despite it all, he was determined to live. He had to get to America, even if it was the last thing he would ever do._

"_Aiutami! Per favore, aiuto!" Fabrizio felt himself sinking in the water; his body was getting weaker. He wouldn't last long if he didn't get on a boat right now. "Somebody please help me! Non voglio morire!"_

_Fabrizio waited for a few minutes, but received no response. No one was going to help him. He was going to die here, all alone, in the middle of the North Atlantic. He was just about to let himself sink into the water when he felt a pair of strong arms pull him up. Fabrizio remembered seeing the face of his rescuer before blacking out._

Fabrizio didn't wake up until days after the _Carpathia_ docked. He was sent to the nearest hospital where he spent the good part of the month in bed rest. He was released just a few days ago. He roamed through streets, hoping to find shelter and food, but he never thought that he would reunite with his best friend. He spent most of today looking for a newspaper; he dug through every single trashcan until he finally found one in the alleyway where Jack found him. He searched through the updated survivor's list, hoping to find Jack's name among the third class passengers, but found nothing.

Fabrizio realized that he still hadn't answered Camden's question. He took a quick glance at Jack and saw him shake his head, pleading with him not to say anything about the _Titanic_. He may not know much English, he did have other ways of communicating with people. He was able to read what they were thinking by looking into their eyes; it was one of the ways he got along with Helga.

Helga; the one woman he truly loved. The mere thought of her broke his heart. He could still envision the beauty of her face and how her soft blue eyes would shine with happiness whenever she smiled. She was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but it was not meant to be. He recollected the final moments with her on board the ship.

"_Jack!" Fabrizio called out to his friend as he found him talking to Tommy by the staircase._

"_Fabrizio!" Jack exclaimed with relief while they held each other in a brotherly embrace._

"_The boats are all gone!" Fabrizio told him with desperation in his voice._

"_This whole place is flooded," Jack said, thinking quickly. "We gotta get outta here."_

"_There's niente this way," Fabrizio said as he gestured behind him._

_Jack took a quick look around before he faced his friend again. "Let's go this way, all right?" Jack began pushing his way through the ground when he felt Fabrizio pull at his arm._

"_No, Jack, aspetta, aspetta!" Fabrizio's eyes flashed with worry as he turned to face Helga and her family; none of them spoke a word of English. "Everyone . . . you come with me . . . we go!" Fabrizio made various hand gestures toward the direction his friends were standing._

_Helga looked into his eyes, confused and scared, while her parents glared at him; they didn't like him from the beginning, but Fabrizio didn't care. He wanted to get Helga to safety._

"_The boats! . . . uh, they going!" Fabrizio was trying the best he could to make Helga and her family to understand, but to no avail. "Le barci, le barci!"_

_Helga turned to her father and asked her if they could go, but her father declined, voicing something in Norwegian with anger and hatred hinted in his voice._

"_Come! We go in the boat . . . in the boat, capito?" Fabrizio said with a hint of desperation in his voice._

"_Come on!" Jack interjected, hoping to persuade Helga's family to join them because the ship was sinking fast._

_Helga tried once more to convince her father to go with him, but he refused again. Helga just turned to Fabrizio with a helpless expression shining on her face._

"_Helga, per favore, huh? You come with me now. I'm 'a lucky . . . it's my destiny to go to America, please?" Fabrizio pleaded as he gazed into her eyes and hoped beyond hope that she would understand him._

_Helga shook her head while tears glistened over her blue eyes. She didn't know what to do; she couldn't bear to lose her family, but she didn't want to lose him, either. She asked her father one last time, but he was still adamant on his refusal. _

_Helga turned to Fabrizio and leaned toward him, feeling her heart break as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. When they broke away, she felt him take her hand in his._

"_Come," Fabrizio began leading her away, determined to get her to safety._

"_Come on!" Jack said with urgency in his voice._

"_Fabrizio . . ." Helga cried._

_Fabrizio stopped and turned around to see the heartbroken look on her face. She couldn't abandon her family. Tears began to well up in his eyes as he drank in her features; this is the last time he will ever look into the eyes of the woman he loves. He felt Jack place a comforting hand on his shoulder while he gazed over at Helga._

"_Come on," Jack said, his voice calm._

_Fabrizio tried to hold onto Helga for a moment longer, but when Jack pulled him away, he felt her hand slip from his._

"_. . . we gotta go!" Jack said with desperation in his voice._

_Fabrizio, helpless and heartbroken, followed his friend down the corridor. He kept his gaze locked on her. He wanted to drink in as much of her as he possibly could because he knew this will be the last time he will ever see her. Tears welled up in his eyes as they grew further apart. "I will never forget you," he cried._

_Jack didn't hesitate a moment longer; he took hold of Fabrizio and led him the rest of the way. Fabrizio continued to look into the eyes of the woman he loved until he could no longer see her amidst the crowd. He will never forget the look on her face; so helpless and torn, yet her eyes, shining with tears, were so full of love._

Fabrizio lowered his head and fought the tears that were threatening to spill over. The memory was still painful to his passionate heart, but even so, he welcomed it with open arms. He would rather live the rest of his life having loved and lost than to never have loved at all.

"It's a long story," Fabrizio replied, several minutes later. "I do not wish to talk about it now."

"It's quite all right," Camden said. "Maybe next time."

They remained silent over the next few minutes before Jack finally spoke. "Do you have a place to stay?"

Fabrizio shook his head and sighed. "No. I look everywhere, but there's _niente_."

"Well, then you're coming with us and I'm not taking no for an answer."

Rose had just finished making lunch when she heard the apartment door squeak open. A smile instantly spread across her face as she wiped her hands clean and went to greet Jack, who had just come through the door. She stopped suddenly when she noticed a dark haired man follow him in. He looked very familiar, but she couldn't quite place where she saw him; he had what seemed like a month old beard and the warmest brown eyes she has ever gazed into.

"_Ciao, bella Rosa_," he said in his thick Italian accent.

"Oh, God," Rose muttered in disbelief as she came to recognize the kind Italian fellow. "Fabrizio, is that you?"

Fabrizio smiled and nodded. "_Sì_."

Rose walked over to him and pulled him into the tightest hug she could possibly give. "I'm so happy to see that you're okay," she said through her unshed tears. "We thought we lost you."

"You don't need to worry about me, _bella_. I am fine."

Rose held onto him for a moment longer before she finally let him go. Her face was wet with tears and she quickly wiped them away. "Oh, Fabrizio. You don't know how happy I am that you're here."

Fabrizio smiled and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "_Non piangere_. I am happy to be here, too."

"So many people died that night," Rose cried. "We were so afraid you were one of them."

Fabrizio couldn't help but think of all the lives that were lost on that tragic night; his darling Helga, his good friend Tommy Ryan, sweet little Cora Cartmell, and so many more. It broke his heart to know that all those wonderful people he cared about on board the _Titanic_ will never see the light of day again. They were all up in Heaven, watching over him and the rest of the world.

"I am okay now, _capito_?" Fabrizio reassured her. "Please, don't cry."

Jack pulled Rose into a comforting embrace and kissed the top of her head. "It's okay, Rose. We're all here together. Everything's going to be okay."

Rose nodded her head and wiped away the last of her tears. "If only they had listened to the iceberg warnings, none of this would have happened."

"The only thing we could do right now is make the most out of every day," Jack said. "We have to put the past behind us and focus on the present; it's all we have going for us."

The words Jack spoke during the first class dinner echoed in Rose's mind.

"_I love waking up in the morning, not knowing what's going to happen, or who I'm going to meet. Where I'm going to wind up. Just the other night, I was sleeping under a bridge, and now I'm sitting here with you fine people . . . you never know what hand you're going to get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you . . . to make each day count."_

_Titanic_ has changed their lives, for better _and_ for worse. Despite the tragic event that took place four days after her maiden voyage, Rose did not regret one moment of her experience on board the ship. She will forever be grateful for Jack and all that he's done for her; he gave her a second chance at life. She no longer had to suffer through all the pointless arrangements that came with being a part of the upper class society. She can now start her life anew without any limitations.


	14. Wedding Jitters

**Disclaimer**: I am not the owner of _Titanic_. I am simply a fan who wants to spread her love of the film through words. I really hope you enjoy this chapter! Happy reading!

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**Chapter Fourteen**

_Wedding Jitters_

June, 1, 1912

Today will mark the start of Jack and Rose's life together. The wedding wouldn't take place until noon, sharp; it is currently early morning and Ruth was helping Rose get ready for her big day.

Fabrizio had spent the night at Camden's place due to the lack of room in Jack and Rose's apartment; Jack slept on the sofa while Rose and her mother shared the small bedroom. They would continue looking for better apartments after the wedding, but until then, this small apartment will have to suffice.

Jack was currently staying in Camden's apartment, getting ready himself. He spent the good part of the hour freshening up in the bathroom before he slipped into his new suit. Afterwards, he joined Fabrizio and Camden on the sofa and couldn't refrain from thinking of his Rose. In five hours' time, they will finally become husband and wife. A soft smile curved upon his lips as he thought of the moment he first laid eyes on the love of his life.

_It was a sunny afternoon on April 11__th__ of 1912; it was the second day of _Titanic's_ maiden voyage. Jack and his Italian friend, Fabrizio, were sitting on a bench by the railing, enjoying the warm sunshine as the ship cut through the open ocean._

_The sound of children playing filled the air while Jack sketched Bert and Cora Cartmell; they were looking over the railing as Bert explained to his daughter how the propellers worked. It was a bit difficult drawing them since they kept moving, but Jack did his absolute best and the effort seemed to have paid off since the drawing came out quite good._

_Meanwhile, Fabrizio was chatting with an Irishman. "The ship is 'a nice, huh?" he asked._

"_Yeah, it's an Irish ship," the Irishman replied._

"_Is English, no?" Fabrizio asked, confused._

"_No, it was built in Ireland. Fifteen thousand Irishmen built this ship. It's solid as a rock. Big Irish hands," he stopped talking when he noticed a steward three dogs of various sizes; he shook his head disapprovingly and took a long drag of his cigarette. "That's typical. First class dogs come here to take a shite."_

_Jack had long since stopped drawing. He closed his portfolio and slipped his lead pencil back into its pouch. "Ah, it lets us know where we rank in the scheme of things," Jack said with a smile as he squinted against the harsh sunlight._

"_Like we could forget," the Irishman chuckled while he held his hand out in greeting. "I'm Tommy Ryan."_

"_Jack Dawson," Jack said as he shook his hand._

"_Hello," Tommy greeted while he extended his hand to Fabrizio._

"_Fabrizio," he nodded his head once and shook his new friend's hand._

"_Hi," Tommy leaned against the rail and noticed Jack's brown leather portfolio. "Do you make any money with your drawings?"_

_Jack was just about to answer him when something caught his eye. A beautiful redhead, dressed in a beautiful green lace gown, walked toward the railing that separated the first class deck from the stern; she leaned against the metal railing and stared off into the ocean. Jack felt the whole world around him vanish as he gazed at the beauty above him._

_Tommy glanced over his shoulder and followed Jack's gaze; he turned his attention back to Jack and shook his head. "Ah, forget it, boy-o. You'd as like have angels fly out of your arse than get next to the likes of her."_

_Jack didn't even hear him. He was completely transfixed by the beautiful woman; he couldn't bear to turn away. Their eyes met for a brief moment before she averted her gaze from him, but seconds later, she turned back to him._

_Fabrizio waved his hand over Jack's face, hoping to divert his attention, and laughed. This woman really caught Jack's eye; he looked up at her and couldn't agree more – she was incredibly beautiful._

_Jack then noticed a dark-haired man walk up to the woman; he grabbed hold of her arm and she instantly pulled away, seemingly annoyed by his presence, before stalking off and breaking Jack's trance._

"Here you go, boys," Gabriella Wallace, Camden's younger sister, announced as she set a tray on the coffee table in front of them; each plate was filled with scrambled eggs, sausages, and fried potatoes.

"Good girl," Camden commented as he grabbed his plate and immediately dug in.

"Thank you," Jack said while he retrieved his and slowly began munching on the hot meal; Fabrizio took his and did the same.

"So, how did you and Rose meet?" Camden asked after he was halfway through his plate.

Jack was silent for a few moments before he managed to muster up a response. "On a ship."

"Oh? What ship?" he asked, curious.

"That's not important," Jack replied, not wanting to talk about _Titanic_ just yet. "We simply met on a ship, is all."

"Hmm," Camden seemed skeptical, but he didn't push any further. "Okay."

"It was a beautiful ship, though," Fabrizio said, chiming in.

In the midst of their brief conversation, Jack's mind began to wander back to when he first realized that he was in love with Rose.

_The cool breeze bit at their faces as they stepped out into the night, long after their dancing extravaganza below decks. Jack held open the third class gate and smiled._

"_After you, m'lady," Jack said, mimicking an upperclassman's tone of voice, while he waved a hand toward the second class area._

_Rose grinned and kept her head held high as she gracefully stepped out of third class and onto the second class deck. Jack broke into a fit of laughter as he closed the gate behind him._

_They were still a bit tipsy from the cheap beer that they have consumed throughout the night, and because of it, they both began laughing hysterically for no absolute reason. Rose wrapped her arms around herself in attempt to keep warm from the chilled breeze; Jack automatically shrugged his jacket off._

"_Here, put this on," he said as he hung it over her delicate shoulders._

_Rose smiled and pulled the jacket closer to her body. "Thank you," she said, grateful for his gentlemanly manners._

_Jack simply nodded as they continued along their way toward the first class entrance. "So, what do you do for fun?" he asked._

"_Oh, well, I read books, play the piano, listen to tunes, and pretend that I'm happy with my life," she stole a glance from Jack and refrained a smile._

_Jack gazed down at the freshly mopped floor and laughed; he loved her sense of humor._

"_There's this one song that I can't get out of my head," she continued with a grin that went from ear to ear. "I think it's called 'Come Josephine'."_

"_I heard that one before," Jack said as he tried to recollect the lyrics. "Oh, say! Let us fly, dear! Where, kid? To the sky, dear!"_

"_Oh! You flying machine! Jump in, Miss Josephine," Rose soon joined in, her angelic voice filling up the night air beautifully._

_Jack and Rose grinned at each other before skipping straight to the chorus of the song. "Come Josephine in my flying machine going up she goes, up she goes!" They both started fumbling over the words._

"_Balancing . . . uh," Jack sang, unsure of what to sing next, as he looked down at Rose, hoping she would figure out the rest of the song._

_She met his gaze and smiled. ". . . something . . ."she sang before they both erupted into laughter._

_A few moments later, they both chimed in. "Like a bird on a beam, in the air she goes . . ."_

"_Where?" Rose's sang._

"_There, she goes! Up, up, a little bit higher. Oh, my! The moon is on fire . . ."_

_The sound of the orchestra playing in the first class dining room interrupted their blissful singing. Rose's smile soon faded away when she came to find that they have reached the first class entrance far too soon; she didn't want this night to end. Jack followed her gaze and kept a neutral expression; he didn't want Rose to see his inner turmoil at the thought of never seeing her again._

_Rose turned around suddenly and stared deeply into his eyes, wishing beyond hope, that she didn't have to return to her dreadful world so quickly. A soft smile curved at the corners of her lips as she took off his jacket and handed it back to him._

"_Here we are," she said, breaking the silence between them._

_Jack draped the jacket over his arm and gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Right."_

"_I don't want to go back," she finally admitted as her smile became wider._

_Jack let out a silent laugh. His eyes remained locked on hers until something caught her attention._

"_Look!" Rose breathed in amazement as she slowly made her way toward the davit and stared up at the millions of sparkling stars. "It's so beautiful."_

"_Yeah," Jack agreed, his voice as soft as the whispering breeze while he, too, admired the beauty of the stars._

"_So vast and endless!" Rose said happily as she held onto the davit and leaned against thin air. "They're so small!" She let out a faint laugh and glanced over at Jack. "My crowd. They think they're giants, but they're not even dusts in God's eye."_

_Rose looked up at the stars in complete amazement at how beautifully they lit up the night considering that they looked no bigger than a diamond._

"_You know, there's been a mistake," Jack pointed out, matter-of-factly; Rose looked up at him with a hint of confusion in her eyes. "You're not one of them. _You've_ got mailed to the wrong address," he added as a smile spread across his face._

_Rose let out a heartwarming laugh while she turned her attention back to the sky. "I did, didn't I?"_

_Jack smiled and looked up at the sky with wonder in his eyes; he didn't want this moment to end._

"_Look!" Rose gasped as she pointed to where a speeding comet shot through the night sky. "A shooting star!"_

"_That was a long one," Jack said while he placed a hand on the davit above Rose's; he was standing incredibly close to her. He could feel the warmth of her body radiating against his own. They both looked up at the sky with amazement in their eyes. "You know, my Pops used to tell me that every time you saw one, it was a soul going to Heaven."_

"_I like that," Rose said while she looked up at him. "Aren't we supposed to wish on it?"_

_Jack looked down at her with curious eyes. "Why? What would you wish for?"_

_Rose's smile soon faded away as she stared into his eyes and sighed; she wouldn't be seeing him after this moment. "Something I can't have," she replied._

_Jack held a solemn expression on his face while she placed a gentle hand upon his shoulder before walking past him._

_She looked into his eyes one last time. "Good night, Jack," she whispered as she let her hand slide off his shoulder._

_Jack turned around and watched her rush toward the first class entrance. She stole a single glance of him before slipping back into her old world. Jack took a single step forward, not knowing what to do, when he heard the soft click of the door closing._

_A single wooden door separated them. It was physical proof that they couldn't ever be together. They were too far apart; him being steerage and her among the upper class. Their relationship is forbidden among society. They just weren't meant to be, and despite what Jack felt for her, this was goodbye. Forever._

_Jack turned around and started heading back to third class, feeling his heart break with every step he took. A few minutes later, he stepped through the third class entrance. He could still hear the music playing in the general room along with the endless chattering among those who were still up at this time of night. It was getting late, and Jack was in no mood to be around too many people, so he decided to head back to the cabin he and Fabrizio shared._

_Jack stepped inside and found the room dark and quiet. He tossed his jacket on a small chair at the corner and changed back into his old clothes. He shut the door and carefully laid the tuxedo Molly Brown was kind enough to lend him on the chair as well. He placed his dress shoes underneath the chair, vowing to himself that he would return it first thing in the morning._

_Jack then took a seat on his bed and sighed as he leaned his elbows against his knees and stared off into space, thinking about Rose and all of the moments they've shared._

"_Are you okay, Jack?" Fabrizio asked, breaking into Jack's thoughts._

"_I don't know, Fabri. It's Rose. I can't stop thinking about her."_

"_You love her, no?" Fabrizio stated as he leaned over the edge._

"_I've only known her for two days, Fabri. I can't love her," Jack said, knowing deep down inside her, that he really did._

"_Perché no? Amore . . . it is a beautiful thing. I know you love her, amico mio. I can see it in your eyes."_

_Jack looked up at his best friend, and even in the dark, he could see his warm smile. "Is it that obvious?"_

"_Sì. I never see you happy like this before."_

_Jack lowered his gaze and came to the realization that Fabrizio was right. Ever since his parents died, he hardly ever smiled. It was as if he lost all sense of happiness, that is, until he met Rose. Even so, he knew that things with Rose wouldn't ever work out. Society stood against them and there was no way they could be together without causing some sort of scandal._

"_It's never going to work, Fabri," Jack pointed out regretfully._

"_Why not?"_

"_She's rich, Fabri. I'm not."_

"_So? That does not mean anything."_

"_Yes it does," Jack said as he looked up at him. "She could have the whole world given to her on a silver platter. I can barely rub two dimes together. Why would she even want to be with someone like me?"_

"_Because you show her what it is like to have fun. I don't think she ever smile before like she did alla festa. I see in her eyes tonight that she have the best night of her life e così fatto tu, Jack."_

"_I like her . . . a lot, but what are the chances that she would even like me back? She's engaged, Fabrizio."_

"_She happy, no?"_

"_It doesn't seem like it."_

"_Tu hai salvare di lei, Jack. You don't want her to be miserable tutta la sua vita, no?"_

"_Of course not," Jack said; there was nothing he wanted more than for her to be happy._

"_Then go tell her."_

"_Tell her what?"_

"_That you love her," Fabrizio said. "This could be your only chance."_

_Jack thought about what he said. He had every reason to believe that telling her how he felt was a bad idea, but something deep inside him told him that Fabrizio is right. He has to tell her. He couldn't live with himself knowing that he missed his chance. Even if she doesn't feel the same way, simply letting her know that he cared about her was enough._

"_You're right," Jack said. "I have to tell her."_

"_Buono!" Fabrizio exclaimed happily as he reached over and gave Jack a brotherly clap on the shoulder._

_Jack smiled and bid Fabrizio good night before he slipped under the covers and spent the rest of the night thinking about the beautiful angel he fell in love with. He could only hope that she felt the same for him as he did for her._

"Is everything okay?" Camden asked, pulling Jack out of his reverie.

"Oh, um . . . yeah, everything's fine," Jack said. "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Rose."

"Wow, she really got you head over heels, hasn't she?"

"More than you can imagine."

For the remainder of the hour, the three of them finished up their breakfast and got ready for the big day. In just a few hours, he will be a married man. He had never imagined that he would settle down so soon in his life. He expected to wait at least ten years before he would even think of marriage; of course, up until he met Rose. She changed his life, all for the better, and he was grateful for it. Now, all he had to do was wait; he never realized just how agonizingly slow time can seem to pass when anticipation rises. Waiting was torture for him, but waiting is what he will have to do.

* * *

Rose felt her heart flutter while her mother helped her button up the back of her wedding dress. It accentuated her natural curves beautifully without being too bold. Her fiery red curls were worn loose with only a few strands braided back; a white ribbon outlining the braid was used as her headpiece. Once her mother was done fastening the buttons, Rose stepped forward and admired her reflection in the cracked full-length mirror for a few moments before she turned to face her mother.

"So, how do I look?"

Tears glistened over Ruth's bright green eyes as she smiled happily at her daughter. "You look beautiful."

"You really think so?" Rose asked, blushing.

"I know so," Ruth said as she tucked a loose curl behind Rose's ear.

Rose took a quick glance at the clock and saw that it was already half past eleven. "It's almost time," she said while her eyes gleamed with excitement. "This is it, mother. I'm about to get married."

Ruth pulled her daughter into a tight embrace and smiled. "I don't think I've ever been this happy," she whispered as she pulled away far enough to look into her daughter's eyes. "You deserve this more than anything."

Rose was amazed by how quickly her mother has changed over the past few weeks. Considering the hatred that she had toward Jack while they were on _Titanic_, Rose never really expected for her to warm up to Jack so quickly. It took some time for Ruth to get used to the idea of them getting married, but once she finally did, she embraced Jack and welcomed him to the family.

"I want to apologize for all that I've done in the past," Ruth said. "I thought I was doing the right thing when I had Cal propose to you. I wanted you to live a financially secure life so that you wouldn't have to ever worry about money, but I realize now that money isn't everything. I know I haven't been a great mother to you when you were a child and I want to make up for it. I hope that you could find it in your heart to forgive me."

Rose looked at her mother and smiled. "Mother, I've already forgiven you," she said with tears shining in her eyes.

Ruth held back her own tears and hugged her. "Thank you," she whispered. "You don't know how much I've wanted to hear that."

They've stayed like that for a while before they finally decided to head to the church. It wasn't that far of a walk; just a few blocks up north. They arrived just in time for the ceremony to start. She stood in front of the double doors and prepared herself for what was to come. Her heartbeat was heavy with anticipation as she heard the a soft melody play in the background; this was her cue. She stole a glance from her mother and smiled while Ruth pulled open the doors and allowed her to walk through.


	15. AUTHOR'S NOTE!

**Author's Note:** I know it's been a long while since I last updated and I can't begin to tell you guys how sorry I am for this. School has been very hectic since I started college and I've been fairly busy due to school AND life. I hardly had ANY time to update anything and then on top of that, I had an extreme lack of inspiration as well as every writer's nightmare: _writer's block_. HOWEVER, rest assured that I will NOT abandon this story and that I plan to write up a new chapter over the summer. Since I haven't updated this in what seems like over a year, I will be planning to re-edit all the chapters and repost them. I just thought I'd send out the warning before I do it. I'll do each chapter ONE AT A TIME, so I won't erase anything. I'll just repost the freshly edited chapter into its appropriate place, so be sure to check out for them from time to time. I just need to do this because it will give me a good chance to get back into writing the story, also it needs some major fixing up to do. So I hope you all haven't given up on me! I'm back and I'm glad to be back. I will give you the chapter you've all been waiting for! Just sit tight while I edit those chapters ;) Thanks so much for reading and I hope that you all enjoyed all that you've read from my writing.

- Ivana a.k.a. _DawsonGurl_

**P.S.** I know Author's Notes aren't allowed to be posted as a separate "chapter", but I thought this was the best way to let you all know what I'm doing. I will delete this once I'm through with everything ;)


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